


Elyxion Beauty, Melancholy Grace

by wulfpup



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Fluff, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-22
Updated: 2018-10-22
Packaged: 2019-08-05 20:36:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 20,958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16374620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wulfpup/pseuds/wulfpup
Summary: Baekhyun is an android with a teeny, tiny secret. Chanyeol is a gunsmith in the wretched town of Lawless who agrees to keep Baekhyun under his temporary care.(Prompt code - B176)WARNINGS : mentions of swearing, weed smoking, brief mention of experiments on humans, gun usage





	Elyxion Beauty, Melancholy Grace

**Author's Note:**

> I cannot believe I finished this fic. It's a feat. My apologies to the mods for submitting at the eleventh hour. My love to the champion beta among all betas, M. To the lovely person who prompted this, I hope you like it <3
> 
> This fic has so many shortcomings, but I hope readers will be able to look past these.  
> Thankyou.
> 
>  My Twitter id - [Wulfpup6104](https://twitter.com/wulfpup6104)
> 
>  
> 
> Song - EXO Oasis/With You

  
  
  
  


_ “Elysian beauty, melancholy grace,  _ _  
_ _ Brought from a pensive though a happy place.” - WW _

  
  


One of them had fallen in love at first sight.

 

It was raining cats and dogs the night Yixing led Baekhyun to Chanyeol’s doorstep. Since everyone had scurried to take cover from the downpour, there were no souls prowling around the streets to witness Yixing and Baekhyun’s mad dash to the gunsmith’s house.

No one liked rain in these parts; there was no romanticism left among the dwellers of Lawless towards rain. Downpours were impediments in Lawless, even during midnight, for the citizens of the ruined town crawled out of their holes only after dark. Daylight was for honest workers, and Lawless was home to only the dishonest.

Rain was bad for business, rain meant water clogged streets and grumpy customers at the bars. Rain meant people could not make it time for their rendevous, and what was Lawless but a rendezvous point for most? To its west, the desert plains stretched on endlessly, to its east lay the abandoned mountains but to its north, beyond the fenced borders, lay Elyxion. Lawless was the closest freetown to Elyxion, hence, rain was bad for the economy, shattered as it was.

The narrow alley which led to Chanyeol’s living quarters had but one working street lamp. The lightning made it easier for the two to climb the outdoor stairs but the thunder was unsettling and uncanny.

Chanyeol was not expecting any one that night. He had a busy day. The gunsmith had spent the first half of the largely overcast day modifying a grenade launcher for a shady but well paying client. One of the reasons why he was so successful a gunsmith, aside from his high sets of skills, was because Chanyeol asked no questions as long as they paid him well.

The gunsmith spent his afternoon chasing down ammo suppliers in the outskirts of town. His regular supplier had gone off the radar and he had to source handgun magazines for a long time client at a short notice. The Hummer ride to the new suppliers had been humid and by the time Chanyeol got home, all he wanted to do was wash the grime away, eat his meal, and go to sleep.

He prepared his own meals. Kris’ tavern at the market was good for drinking with pals but for food, Chanyeol relied on his own two hands. The gunsmith had fended for himself for who knows how long and he had a mental block against others preparing his meals for him.

He had taught himself to cook, darn, sew, look down the barrel of a gun and fire the cleanest shot, repair every vehicle there was in Lawless, break and make things.

The gunsmith had barely taken a few morsels of his dinner when there were three loud knocks on the door. And then two more. Three. Pause. Two. Chanyeol knew it was Yixing’s code for whenever he came calling. And yet Chanyeol did not ease the grip on his handgun.

He looked through the peephole, shoulders sagging when the blurred but drenched form of the Elyxian came into view. But there was someone else with the Elyxian this time. A first.

Chanyeol unlatched the door with a flick of his wrist and took a quick few steps back to point his self-modified Redhawk towards the door. One second, two seconds..the door swung open in a slow motion, revealing a sodden boy with shoulder length hair as black as the night. He was shorter than Chanyeol, staring unflinchingly back at the gunsmith, chin slightly tilted up in defiance, one wide eye giving the only indication of mild surprise (the other being hidden under the dark curtain of hair).

Yixing snorted, “Yeah, Baekhyun’s hardly a threat. You can lower your weapon Chanyeol-ah.” His manner was cheerful despite the punishing weather outside.

Chanyeol hesitated. Yixing had brought plenty of objectionable items to his place for safekeeping over the years. Bringing a boy for safekeeping was a first, and too presumptuous of Yixing. Chanyeol did not accept living beings as items for safekeeping. He did not deal in humans, living things, cats, dogs, pets. Dirty money, he would say.

“Chanyeol, lower the gun.” the Elyxian repeated.

“Who is he? Why is he here?” Chanyeol did not remove his eyes from the boy. The boy stared back, almost expressionless, with blue, blue eyes inhuman in color.

“I want you to keep Baekhyun safe until I return for him.”

_ Until I return.  _ A man of Yixing’s position took months to return to Lawless from Elyxion.

“You know I don’t deal in boys.” Chanyeol stated coolly. “I don’t deal in humans at all. Not for all the money in the world. Kris, the tavern owner, is who you’re looking for.” His eyes, still fixed on the boy, grew kind.

“Baekhyun’s not human.” Yixing quickly retorted, voice urgent and lowered, “He is an android, and a defective one at that! Now can you please lower the gun so we can step inside?”

Chanyeol’s eyes flitted between Baekhyun and Yixing. The blue, blue eyes blinked back at him once, twice. Chanyeol eyes travelled over the  android, taking in the wet clothes and slim frame. Sighing, he released his grip on the Redhawk, “Come on in.” He finally turned to look at Yixing, giving the Elyxian a bright, friendly smile. “At least you can’t say my welcomes are lukewarm.” His voice sounded even deeper under the present weather. Chanyeol threw a quick glance at Baekhyun before proceeding to dump his handgun on the couch. 

 

Yes, it was love at first sight for one of them.

 

Yixing heaved a sigh and nudged Baekhyun inside the house, hurrying to latch the door. He  _ had  _ to be in Elyxion by daybreak and there was not much time at his disposal. The good thing about Chanyeol was that the gunsmith never asked any more questions than what was absolutely necessary.

The gunsmith moved away to make sure that all the blinds were drawn. He left the room for a swift couple of seconds to make sure the back door was locked as well.

Yixing shrugged out of his wet coat and draped it over a chair to dry. 

Baekhyun the android stood in the middle of the small, ill-lit room, unmoving, water dripping from his hoodie, staring at the bowl of unfinished porridge on the worn out wooden table.  

Chanyeol did not pay any mind to the android as he walked back inside the room, a small, sealed package in his hands. “I visited Jongdae three months ago. He asked me to give this to you should you ever turn up at my doorstep.”

Yixing happily took the package and weighed it. “Jongdae never disappoints. This is good stuff.”

“Be careful. If they find you smoking that shit in Elyxion, you’ll be put to sleep.”

“Oh don’t I already know?” Yixing hit back blithely. “Good old weed from the mountains. I owe Jongdae an entire month’s salary for this.”

Chanyeol clicked his tongue. Yixing was brave, braver than most people he knew to attempt to rub shoulders with the powers that be of Elyxion, and still make these clandestine trips to Lawless. The gunsmith knew that Yixing worked tirelessly against the corporation that ran the mega city that was Elyxion. The corporation’s all expanding powers stretched till the borders of Lawless.

And any person or thing that trickled out of Elyxion became the automatic property of Lawless, or such was the unspoken code. The guards of the free cities at this side of the border never stopped anyone from entering. But it would be another matter if the Elyxian systems detected Yixing leaving the city.

Chanyeol directed his attention to the android now. “This android, how long do you want me to keep him?”

“As long as necessary.” Yixing quipped, then turned to look at the android in question, “Step out of your wet clothes, Baekhyun. I’m sure Chanyeol here can lend you some of his things to wear.”

“Does he even  _ feel  _ cold?” Chanyeol snorted.

“Baekhyun is a companion android built for keeping senior citizens company. You know how Elyxion likes to take care of its elderly?”

The gunsmith snorted some more, “Yeah? The Corporation has a large heart.” he mocked as he quickly discarded his t shirt, revealing a V shaped body and toned abs. Chanyeol handed his t shirt over to the android, “Baekhyun, is it? Wear this. It's the cleanest item in my closet right now.” He grinned.

The android carefully plucked the fabric out of the gunsmith’s hand, blue eyes averted.

“You don’t seem quite damaged to me. How old are you even supposed to be?”

“Nineteen.” Yixing answered for the android. “Just the right age for the oldies at Elyxion to think that they’re spending time with their grandchildren.”

“Bloody, brainwashed Elyxian people.” Chanyeol grunted.

“Hey, can you blame them for choosing a comfortable life? The corporation has never failed in providing all sorts of comfort to Elyxians.”

“I’ll choose free will over comfort any day, thank you very much.”

“People in Elyxion are free to do as they like. Give them some credit.”

“Can they openly criticise the corporation? Can they oppose schemes brought out by the higher ups? Free speech? Free media? No? Then its slavery for me.”

“It’s the perfect city, free of crime, criminals, and criminal thought. Nobody goes hungry. There's no suffering. The corporation has made life so much easier for people.” Yixing teased some more.

“So easy that nobody thinks for themselves, they allow the corporation to do all the thinking. I’d rather go hungry than let someone in my brain like that. Elyxion and the whole premise that it’s been built on is a farce. You know it too, or you wouldn’t risk your life to make these visits to Lawless. You know it’s a disease, people thinking the same way, acting the same way, opposing and cheering for the same things. Not a single crime in Elyxion! The very idea that a whole society can exist without a single crime being committed is scary. It is a numb society of already dead people! I’d like to live while still alive.”

“We are not numb in Elyxion. Staying in the city is a choice too, Chanyeol. Come with me to Elyxion sometime, I’ll show you around. You attend too many of these meetings.”

“I don’t have to attend any. My great great grandparents opted to walk out of this daydream peddled by the Corporation. Those freedom loving people settled in these ruins ages ago so that their children and grandchildren could learn to think independently. And we made something beautiful out of the wastelands given to us. It’d be a shame and a letdown to all those pioneering people if I casually walk inside Elyxion and marvel at the progress it has made.”

Yixing smiled. He knew from the start that Chanyeol would be the best person to bring Baekhyun to.

Yixing tapped a fat wad of cash on the table, “Here. For your pains. I’ll pay the rest when I come to collect Baekhyun. And yes, he is damaged. His neural network API went haywire. Rather than learn to be more chatty with his owners, Baekhyun started developing introvert tendencies. He  _ learnt  _ to be an introvert from his owner. He was about to be sent back to the factory for cancellation.”

“Then what’s he doing here?” Chanyeol scratched the stubble on his chin, watching the android wear his t shirt. “What’s your interest in him?”

Yixing shrugged. “Ask me no questions, and I’ll tell you no lies. Let’s just say that I want him safe and out of Elyxion for the time being.”

Chanyeol rolled his eyes, still monitoring the android. “He is surprisingly life like. I had no idea Elyxion has made such leaps in droid tech. He could pass off as human if not for the absurdly blue eyes.”

“Amazingly lifelike.” Yixing said, unable to keep the pride off his voice, “He eats too.” Yixing winked, “And sleeps. Does everything that you and I would.”

Chanyeol directed his undivided attention to Baekhyun now; the android had been looking at him this whole time, mouth slightly parted, long, unkempt hair still wet. “There’s a towel here somewhere. Dry your hair.”

The android’s eyes scanned the room, looking for the towel.

Chanyeol scratched his ear, “Maybe it’s in the bedroom. Go look for it. Go.”

Yixing stepped closer to Chanyeol once Baekhyun walked out of the room, his voice barely audible. “Chanyeol, you  _ must  _ keep him safe and hidden at all costs. I am entrusting you with the most precious item ever to come in my possession. Guard him with your life as though your freedom depends on it.”

Chanyeol hesitated. He was not known for turning down clients, there was not a thing he could not do, except murder someone in cold blood, of course. But somehow, with the urgency in Yixing’s voice, a wild trepidation arose in the pits of his belly. “What are you not telling me?”

“The less you know, the better.” Yixing moved away from Chanyeol as Baekhyun came to stand in their midst, towelling his hair dry.

“I’ll come back for you as soon as I can manage to. Until then, Chanyeol here will take care of you. Do as he says and follow every direction. He’ll know what to do to keep you safe.”

Strange. Yixing spoke as if a legion of armed men were on the lookout for this defective android. Chanyeol also found it strange that Yixing cupped Baekhyun’s cheeks. Why would one reassure an android like that? Androids weren’t people, were they?

The android mumbled something back.

Chanyeol moved away from them towards the door to give them privacy to say their goodbyes. He collected his handgun from the couch, and pocketed it. His Redhawk was his wife, or so friends at the tavern teased.

“I’ll drive you to the border.” Chanyeol declared, leaning against the door as he watched Yixing pick his discarded coat from the chair.

“You don’t have to.”

“I always drive you back. Shut up.”

Even though Yixing was twenty score and more years older than him, long years of association with the wizened man made Chanyeol speak very informally. Chanyeol was almost like the son Yixing never had.

The gunsmith asked Baekhyun to make himself comfortable, hardly sparing a glance in the android’s direction, and left with Yixing. 

They were well away from Lawless and on the broken road leading to the border when Yixing turned in his seat to face Chanyeol. The rain had slowed down to a light drizzle and they could afford this distraction. “If someone asks, tell them he is a cousin from the mountains come to visit you.”

The gunsmith took a sharp turn. “If someone asks, I tell them to mind their own business, and they generally do.”

Yixing struggled in his seat to make his point. Finally, he found the words, “If someone comes looking for Baekhyun, don’t give him up at any cost. I don’t think you counted the bills but I paid you triple your asking price.”

The Elyxian thanked the spirits above with all his might when Chanyeol hit the brakes hard and only the seatbelt prevented Yixing from hitting his head in the windscreen.

“Chanyeol, what the-”

The gunsmith pointed an accusing finger at him, “You.” he said, “You wouldn’t bring deliberate danger to my doorstep, would you? I like being alive.”

Yixing touched his forehead. “Baekhyun does not pose any danger to you.” He paused. “I wanted to save him from cancellation. And until alternative arrangements can be made for his stay, I have to hide him somewhere. But the Corporation would not take it too lightly if word gets out that an android armed with their latest technology crossed over to the free cities. I fear that there are certain kinds of people who would be interested in the tech that Baekhyun is.”

Chanyeol pressed the accelerator, suddenly restless to drop Yixing off and head to the tavern for Kris’ free drinks. “Don’t worry.” he grumbled, “I’ll take care of Baekhyun for you.”

Yixing laughed at that. “You might find that he can take care of himself though.”

Chanyeol rolled his eyes. Men were men and androids were androids. As a man of Lawless, Chanyeol had learnt to be suspicious and dismissive of all things tech, all things Elyxian.

Yixing, as he climbed out of the car, and shook Chanyeol’s hand, looked as if he had aged a great deal. “Until next time then.”

The gunsmith gave him an informal salute. He would not see Yixing again for close to eight months. Eight months in which Chanyeol’s life would turn upside down, and not entirely for the worse. Eight months in which Chanyeol would learn that the coldest hearts in Elyxion were capable of love and free will. Eight months in which he would realise the extent to which he himself was capable of loving. He, who thought that ‘living’ was an act of free will, would soon arrive at the truth that 'loving’ was the highest act of free will, the noblest act of all.

There are a few universal truths of life. Come hail or fire, that business at Kris’ tavern would always be brisk was one of these universal truths. And heads will always turn wherever Chanyeol went was another. The people lining up at the counter for drinks parted for him when Chanyeol walked up to Kris.

The gunsmith could feel eyes on him, crawling over his very many tattoos and scars. He had conveniently forgot to put a shirt on after discarding his t shirt for the android. The handle of his silver revolver poked out from the pocket of his jeans. The barmaids behind the counter sighed upon sighting his dragon tattoo, the tail of which disappeared under his leather belt.

“Interested in seeing the rest of the dragon?” Chanyeol winked at the already blushing barmaids, making them double up in peals of laughter.

“Oi Chanyeol. Don’t distract my staff. Go find a corner to sit. I’ll join you once it’s less busy out here.” Kris’ voice was stern.

The gunsmith gave a toothy grin to the girls and slouched off. He heard Kris reprimanding Joy and Seulgi and flashed another smile at Wendy. Wendy showed him to his regular spot, “We haven’t seen you around for some time. Where’s your gang?”

Chanyeol took his seat, “They’ve gone to the mountains.”

“You hardly come here if Junmyeon and Jongdae are not around.” Wendy complained, pushing her lower lip out.

Chanyeol leaned back in his seat, “I keep very busy.”

Wendy literally drooled at his voice, “Oh I am sure you do.” She left after taking his order, getting the hint that the gunsmith was not looking for loose conversation tonight.

Kris joined him fifteen minutes later, gracefully depositing his tall frame beside his friend. “Buddy, you’ve been busy. Haven’t seen you around in days.”

Chanyeol played with the ashtray on the table. “I was recaliberating a grenade launcher. Took me a couple of days.”

“Good money?”

“Very good.” Chanyeol answered.

“Then why do you look as if you’re contemplating something? And where’s your shirt, man? For heaven’s sake, wear something when you come to my tavern. I can’t have my staff swooning over you and neglecting other customers.”

Chanyeol laughed lopsidedly, “Didn’t they tell you? I am a  _ guns _ smith?”

Kris shook his head in distaste, “Let’s leave the cringey jokes to Jongdae. Hey! Any news about their return? I am almost beginning to miss those two motherfuckers.”

Wendy came with the drinks and a plate of hot buns before Chanyeol could answer. The gunsmith gave her a generous tip and proceeded to wolf down an entire bun in a matter of ten seconds.

“I’m hungry.” he explained to Kris with his mouth stuffed. “Yixing showed up before I could finish my dinner. I’m on my way from dropping him off at the border.”

Kris let Chanyeol finish all his buns. “What is it this time? What impossible thing has he asked you to procure?”

“He left an item with me for safekeeping. An android.”

“Are you carrying it with you?”

Chanyeol laughed. “Where would I be hiding it? Under my non existent shirt?”

Kris winced, “Your jokes get shabbier by the day. So, what is it?”

“A life sized, walking, talking android. It has a name too. Baekhyun. Apparently it is custom made to provide company to ageing Elyxians.”

“What do you mean walking, talking android?”

“Like, it has skin and hair and eyes et cetera. Looks like a boy. Looks like he would be about your cousin, whatshisname, Tao’s age.” Chanyeol explained.

“For real? You’re kidding me. There are no such androids. I have never heard of one!”

Chanyeol scowled, “Of course you haven’t heard of one. Because you’re the tavern owner in bloody fucking Lawless and not a big shot in Elyxion.”

“Big shots in Elyxion do not have life-sized androids either. At least not for senior citizens.”

“Yeah? Do you want to bet? If I win, you hand over your oldest wine barrel to me. If you win -”

“If I win,” Kris interrupted, “I get to keep your Redhawk.”

“You out of your mind? She’s my wife.” He pulled his silver handgun from his pockets. “She’s legendary. Like yours truly.”

“Alright.” Kris backtracked. “If I win, I get to drive your Hummer for one whole month. If I lose, you get a free pass to flirt with my staff and I won't cockblock you. Deal?”

Chanyeol snorted, dark eyes lighting at the prospect of winning against Kris. “I have a specimen at home. There’s no way I am losing this bet.”

Kris laughed and clapped Chanyeol’s back, standing up to go attend the newly arrived customers, “We will see about that.”

It was well past 3 AM when Chanyeol finally set foot inside his quarters. The lights were on in the hall, but the android was nowhere to be seen. There was a deathly silence in place. Clasping the handle of the revolver, the gunsmith tiptoed to his bedroom. He was startled in a very different kind of way when he saw the scene in front of him.

The android was lying face down on his bed, in what can best be termed as deep sleep. The boy, android, whatever, had discarded his pants and climbed on top of Chanyeol’s covers in nothing but Chanyeol’s t shirt. One hand was dangling from the edge of the bed and the other was hugging Chanyeol’s pillow. 

The gunsmith was literally nonplussed, never having expected to come up against a situation where he would be evicted out of his own bed, from his own bedroom, robbed of his own pillow.

“Why, you little piece of shit.” Chanyeol cursed under his breath. He was so looking forward to crashing down on his bed. It was big enough for two but Chanyeol was all kinds of wary to sleep alongside an android.

He turned the bedroom lights off, sighing at the prospect of sleeping on the couch. The ever vigilant gunsmith noticed that his barely eaten bowl of porridge was now scraped clean. Someone had sat on the dining chair, dragged it closer to the table, someone shorter than him. They had scraped the contents of the bowl with the spoon which now lay beside the empty bowl.

Funny how that someone could not even dump the utensils in the wash basin. Funny how they were now comfortably asleep on Chanyeol’s bed when he himself had to camp on the couch. When the gunsmith finally closed his eyes, he heard tiny puppy like yips coming from his bedroom. Do androids dream, he wondered to himself. It was the last thought he had before slipping into a dreamless sleep.

No. Androids do not dream. But Baekhyun, sprawled over a cosy bed, was dreaming. He dreamt of extremely tall, extremely handsome strangers pointing silver guns at him. He dreamt of a V shaped body, dotted with scars and decorated with a dragon tattoo. He dreamt of a man with a deep voice and a deeper laughter. He dreamt of freedom. Mostly, he dreamt of freedom.

Chanyeol woke up at the crack of dawn, at the first caw of the crow. The couch was the most uncomfortable surface to park his lanky frame on. He could have had a better sleep inside his Hummer. Ugh.

It was a fine morning. The gunsmith thought it was better to be productive than curse Yixing any more than he already had. He peered inside his bedroom; the android had changed positions in his sweet slumber, one leg now thrown over his pillow. The intruder was teetering on the edge on the bed and Chanyeol dearly hoped that he would indeed fall off.

The gunsmith noisily extracted his dirty clothes from within the depths of his cupboard but did the boyish android budge? No. Chanyeol also picked the android’s discarded clothes from the floor to dip them in detergent along with his own.

The clothes were washed and hung on the terrace to dry, the rooms vacuumed, and last night’s utensils washed before the android decided to finally abandon Chanyeol’s bed. He stepped inside the hall, hair resembling a crow’s nest, long, slim neck stretched to peer at the pan on the burning stove.

“Egg on toast.” Chanyeol explained for the benefit of the android. “Hungry?” The gunsmith meant to be sarcastic but the android’s eyes immediately lit up at the mention of food.

“Mm. Hungry.” he replied, not the least bit abashed. Chanyeol gave his back to the android and fumed at the egg on toast on the pan. He did not dwell on the android’s voice.

The android sat himself on a chair and waited cross legged until Chanyeol laid the plate laden with toasts on the table.

The gunsmith grinded his teeth noiselessly when the android promptly helped himself to three toasts, leaving only two for Chanyeol.

“I’ve washed your clothes.” he said after a while.

The android nodded, concentrating on the food for now. No thank you, nothing. What sort of androids are the Elyxians building, Chanyeol wondered.

“You’re getting a haircut today.” Chanyeol announced all of a sudden. “Long hair would make you stand out. I want you to blend in.”

The android abandoned his toast and stared back at Chanyeol with wide eyes.

“What? Don’t want a haircut?” Chanyeol prodded, gently now.

“We are going outside for my haircut?” The android asked, pausing between each word, clearly not quite used to speaking.

“Yes, we are.”

The android’s face was impassive but the words tumbled out in quick succession. “I want a haircut.”

What the android wanted, Chanyeol realised later, was to go out in the sun. Instead of focusing on the road ahead, and the awful traffic, the android chose to gape wide eyed at the people on the streets, the rundown buildings and establishments. Something as mundane as a balloon, sold in every street corner to the urchins, caught the android’s eyes and claimed his attention.

“Balloon?” he pointed at the colorful gas filled rubber tubes, brows frowning.

“Yes, yes, balloon. Try to keep up.” Chanyeol grabbed the android’s arms and tugged him along. “I asked you not to make eye contact with anyone, didn’t I?”

The Elyxians did not make a very good job of the android, Chanyeol could tell. Faulty device! Chanyeol’s pleas and gentle reminders fell on deaf ears. The android was still very much taken by the balloon and still making eye contact with every balloon seller.

“I’ll buy you a balloon on the way back. Now keep up.”

At the android’s face lighting up at every new thing his eyes fell on along the way,  Chanyeol had to remind himself that androids were programmed to respond appropriately to external stimuli. The Corporate was no longer satisfied with turning actual humans into slaves, they were creating android slaves as well.

This particular android had probably never seen the daylight! Why else would he be so receptive and keen to every little thing they encountered along the way. The gunsmith felt sick to his core. He couldn’t tell if the feeling bubbling inside his innards was pity or disgust towards the android.

The gunsmith was deliberately taking the back alleys, lengthening their walk to the barber’s, but evading prying eyes. The hair cutting salon was owned by one of Jongdae’s childhood friends, it was by far the safest place he could have brought the android to.

“My cousin from the mountains.” Chanyeol said by way of introductions, “Shy sort. Doesn’t talk much. Do you think you’ll be done in half an hour?”

The gunsmith turned to the android next. “I have to collect something. I’ll return in half an hour.”

The android nodded, face expressionless.

Chanyeol emerged from the salon and surveyed the area. There were no onlookers.

Jongin was the head of security in Lawless, and  leader of the guards at the border. His assault rifle was malfunctioning and he had especially called for Chanyeol to fix his weapon at the earliest.

Years ago, when they were small children playing in the far off mountains, Chanyeol and Jongin had been playmates. Jongin always had a violent streak inside him; his present position suited him well. Chanyeol had been just as capable, but the gunsmith always knew that he would never choose violence for violence’s sake. Violence was the means to an end, never the end itself.

Jongin greeted Chanyeol warmly, and offered him refreshments. The gunsmith turned down the artificially flavored sherbet lemon.“I have to be somewhere in roughly fifteen minutes. Can I please have your weapons case?”

“Always cut to cut. You never stop for idle chit chat.” Jongin protested good naturedly.

“I never seem to have time for idle pursuits.” Chanyeol smiled tightly.

The minute Jongin’s lackey brought forth the arms case, Chanyeol rose up to leave. “You must come home for dinner sometimes. Kyungsoo misses you too, you know.”

Chanyeol kept smiling, “Tell him I said hi.”

Once back on the streets, Chanyeol deliberately took a number of crowded, serpentine alleys to lose anyone tailing him. After ensuring that no one was following him, the gunsmith sprinted down to the barber's. He was ten minutes late.

The android looked even more boyish with his trimmed hair. The blue eyes were still a bright blue though.

“Very nice.” Chanyeol said, beckoning the android out of the salon. Jongdae’s friend never charged Chanyeol; it was hard to earn the goodwill of the gunsmith, and once you earned it, you could have his protection as well.

The gunsmith was non confrontational, but he did not suffer fools either. He was known to protect his own with a passionate zeal. These things were not etched in stone in a place like Lawless, but since Chanyeol was a frequent patron at Kris’ tavern, the watering hole was under Chanyeol’s protection as well.

And now the android was too, or so the gunsmith thought, not stopping to think that the blue eyed boy may have a few tricks up his sleeves as well. The matter was settled that afternoon itself.

Incidentally, Kris was at the same marketplace to collect his liquor crates. He would never have spotted Chanyeol on any normal day, the gunsmith just appeared and disappeared like a flash when he wanted to. Today however, he was pulling another person along, the other person literally dragging his feet on the road, pointing at rooftops and flower tubs and other everyday items.

The tavern owner decided to give Chanyeol a surprise. He fished his pistol out and hurried behind the duo. Once they reached a secluded corner, he changed the tenor of his voice and pushed the barrel of his gun against the gunsmith’s back.

“Don’t move. Hand me the case.”

Never in his wildest dreams had Kris imagined that the outcome of his little prank would turn out to be so ghastly. Before Chanyeol could even turn around to look at his accoster’s face, Kris was tackled to the ground by Chanyeol’s companion.

The gunsmith did not see how it happened, but Kris would recount his own humiliation for years to come. Chanyeol’s companion moved quicker than light to land a sharp kick on Kris’ knees. One second Kris was pointing his gun at Chanyeol, and in the very next second, he was kneeling on the ground with the impact of the kick.

When Chanyeol turned around, Kris was kneeling on the ground, breathless and wincing in pain, and his very familiar semi automatic Colt was in the android’s firm grip.

The gunsmith was torn between laughter and concern for his long time friend. “Do you know how to use it?” he asked the android.

The android nodded, face showing surprise that Chanyeol was unfazed by the assailant. “Give the Colt back to my friend here. He is Kris, he is a friend. He was pranking me. Not a very good idea in retrospect, eh Kris?”

Baekhyun’s eyebrows rose; he nodded in understanding and passed the gun to the still kneeling Kris without a word.

“This is the android I told you about.” Chanyeol said, biting back a laugh and helping Kris to his feet.

“Unbelievable.” Kris said, surveying the android keenly. “What model are you?” he asked.

The android blinked back at Kris, not giving any reply. 

Chanyeol grabbed the android’s arm, “We were hurrying home Kris. I don’t want any unwanted eyes on the android. Best be on our way.” He did not miss the sharp way in which the tavern owner was sizing the android up. He did not have to egg his companion on this time; the android seemed to be in a hurry to get away from Kris as well. 

Once they were closer home, Chanyeol had a good look at the android. “Oi, android. Do you still want a balloon?”

His companion halted mid-step. His face turned blank all of a sudden. Then slowly, he shook his head. No, he did not want a balloon.

Chanyeol was surprised. “Earlier, you were dying to get one.”

“I am Baekhyun.” the android simply said.

“Huh?”

“I have a name.” the other quietly stated.

Standing in the middle of the footpath, Chanyeol suddenly realised that this android - Baekhyun - was  _ sulking _ because he had referred to him as android. Way to be touchy!

“Baekhyun.” Chanyeol said kindly, pronouncing the syllables slowly, “Do you want a balloon?”

Baekhyun shook his head. No.

Chanyeol did not know what to make of it. “Come.” he said gently, leading Baekhyun to the nearest balloon peddler regardless.

“Give one each of every color you have.” Chanyeol handed the vendor the coins for the same. Beside him, Baekhyun stood unmoving. But when Chanyeol handed over the bunch of varicolored balloons to the android, he was bestowed with the merriest smile.

Chanyeol, watching Baekhyun admire the balloons, thought to himself that the real person after who the android was fashioned after must have been a sight to behold. Baekhyun never caught him staring, he was too lost in the balloons floating overhead.

Chanyeol knew they looked ridiculous, a formidable gunsmith with a reputation, tugging an unwilling person along,  _ with varicolored balloons in hand.  _ Chanyeol had never in his life felt so mortified. He had never felt so carefree either.

The news spread like wildfire in the marketplace, that the gunsmith was showing his young cousin around, buying balloons for the country bumpkin and what not.

Over at Kris’ tavern, a call was placed. 

“Jongdae, you motherfucking you. Both of you had better make a swift return to Lawless. Chanyeol has found a new companion in your absence. Who? Haha, I can’t say it over the phone but I daresay you’ll be mighty surprised.”

Kris disconnected the call and smiled at Joy, who was trying to overhear his conversation as usual. The android, if at all he was an android, was swift and fast as lightning. The eyes were inhuman too. And Chanyeol would believe whatever Yixing fed him. But Kris knew for a fact that such humanoid androids did not exist, not in records, not yet anyway.

He needed Jongdae and Junmyeon back in Lawless. Jongdae could get to the bottom of this, this hole where Chanyeol had unknowingly walked into. If the blue eyed wasn't what Yixing said he was, if he was a spy for Elyxion, it could spell doom for all of them.

Back home, Chanyeol fixed a sandwich for himself, then ended up giving it up to the android who was looking at him all too pointedly. He watched sullenly as Baekhyun the android polished off his half eaten sandwich.

“This your fuel too?” he asked.

Baekhyun paused nibbling to look at the gunsmith.

“Is this how you charge your batteries?”

The android seemed not to understand Chanyeol's question in the beginning. Then, very slowly, without breaking eye contact, Baekhyun nodded. “I charge through sleep.”

“Why don't you go sleep and charge yourself?” Chanyeol asked the android half an hour later.They were in his work station, cooped up because Baekhyun and his many balloons had taken much of the space in the small, dinghy, box sized room. There were no windows here, and the exhaust fan worked as the only ventilator.

Baekhyun's colourful balloons were a huge distraction, especially when Chanyeol was very intent on servicing Jongin's assault rifle. He sat cross legged on the floor, with an assortment of cleaning rods scattered around.

The gunsmith had carefully disassembled Jongin's rifle, and was lubricating its parts with grease. He found it disconcerting that the android's inhumanly blue eyes were trained on him, watching him doing the mundane task with nil concealed wonder

The android cupped the red balloon in his lap, and slowly formed his question, “What are you doing?”

Chanyeol thought it was obvious that he was cleaning the rifle. “Cleaning it. If you don't lubricate the moving parts periodically, it might malfunction. Jongin is a busy man. It's a pity that his love for toting guns do extend to the guns themselves. If I count the number of times I have had to fix his rifles -” Chanyeol trailed away.

“See this? That's an excessive accumulation of residue in the barrel.” Chanyeol shook his head and tut tutted, “Unmaintained guns can backfire during combat. We need to clean and oil them properly. Now Jongin says this rifle is malfunctioning, but I suppose it's a case of friction. He always forgets to -”

“The piston has rusted.” Baekhyun offered calmly, still holding the red balloon with both palms.

“Huh?”

“The piston. It's irreparable now. Your friend will have to get himself a new gun.”

Chanyeol examined the part in question, “How would you know? I haven't gotten around to examine it  -”

“My vision.” Baekhyun stated, holding the balloon in his tender care, “I scanned the rifle when you pulled it out of its case.”

“You can do that?” Chanyeol was amazed.

Baekhyun nodded, reaching out for the yellow balloon now.

“D-do you scan people too?”

Baekhyun nodded again, “Your friend Kris has a piercing.”

Chanyeol scoffed, “No he does not.”

Baekhyun gathered up all the balloons so he wouldn't have to look in Chanyeol's eyes. “He has a piercing in his - in his - well, it's there.”

Chanyeol ran greasy hands through his hair, very aware of his navel piercing now. He had never known that Kris had a Prince Albert on him.  “Now listen here, Baekhyun. You're not supposed to scan people when you meet them, android or not. It's a breach of privacy. Don't do that.”

“Okay.” Baekhyun agreed all too quickly, blue eyes firmly on the balloons.

Chanyeol shrugged, “Maybe it's allowed in your golden Elyxion, but here in Lawless, we do not allow others in our personal affairs. Alright?”

Baekhyun nodded.

“D-did you scan me as well, when we first met?”

Baekhyun nodded.

Chanyeol was flustered all of a sudden; he was an exhibitionist through and through, but the fact that Baekhyun now knew his dick size was horribly messed up. “Don't ever do that again. Ever! To anyone. Are we clear?”

Baekhyun nodded. He looked chastised. “My AI automatically scans targets. I can't help it. It's computed tomography so there is nothing to be shy about.”

“Shy? Who’s shy? Not me!” the gunsmith announced. “Bloody Elyxion!” he grumbled, now frowning as he properly examined the piston of the rifle.

He's just an android, the gunsmith told his flustered self. The women he slept with waxed lyrical about his size, exchanging notes about how good he was in bed. That kind of talk never ruffled his feathers, and yet he found himself smoking through his ears now.

“Bloody Elyxion.” he muttered again.

“Why do you hate Elyxion so much?” Baekhyun asked in an even manner, face hidden behind his balloons.

Chanyeol let his eyes rove over the figure, automatically riled up at the question, “Ask yourself why you had to escape with Yixing to Lawless in the middle of the night. Maybe you'll get your answer there.” He chuckled without humour, “Elyxion is supposed to be a safe haven, but here you are, taking shelter in Lawless of all places. Isn't it ironic?”

The gunsmith diverted his attention to the task at hand, letting the android stare all he wanted with those eerie blue eyes. He figured that it would be pointless to ask Baekhyun not to stare.

An hour passed by.

Chanyeol’s mind was so intent upon cleaning the rifle that he did not register Baekhyun speaking at first. “Yixing says I developed a will of my own and the engineers were not pleased.”

“Yeah?” Chanyeol was nonchalant, “Were there other malfunctioning androids like you?”

Baekhyun blinked back at him, looking at a loss for an answer. “I don't know.” the android finally supplied.

“How did you come in contact with Yixing?”

Baekhyun gave the tiniest smile at that, “He helped build me.” Then, at Chanyeol's dumbstruck look, the android added, “He is an engineer.”

Chanyeol cursed under his breath, “I thought he was some sneaky high ranking Elyxion official.”

“He is an engineer with the Corporation.” Baekhyun stated calmly.

Chanyeol shook his head, “I never asked. Figures that he kept that fact from me. I dislike Elyxion but Yixing knows that I hate the corporation the most.”

“Why do you hate the corporation?” Baekhyun was quick to ask.

Chanyeol applied pressure on the piston, “It's evil, Baekhyun. All those years ago, a group of corporates decided that they want to create the perfect city and run the place. They advertised Elyxion as heaven on earth, and turned people into blind dingbats. Absolute control, they exercise absolute control. Your job, your leisure activities, your partners, your pursuits, everything is decided by the corporation for you in the name of ease of living. If Baekhyun the android wants to buy balloons, maybe he won't be allowed to buy balloons because androids aren't supposed to want balloons. Androids aren't supposed to have a will of their own, isn't it?”

Baekhyun's face fell. He rubbed his cheek against a balloon.

“Well, in Lawless,” Chanyeol announced, “I'll buy you as many as you want.”

The android hid his face behind the balloon now.

“I mean, sure, you may think that Elyxion may have cherry blossom trees dotting its sidewalks and sure, the sky probably is a lovely blue and the grass is watered everyday. It's definitely a thousand times more pleasing to the eyes than dusty old Lawless, but -”

“I never saw what Elyxion looked like.” Baekhyun chimed in.

Chanyeol went silent.

“You..never?”

The android shook his head, “I wasn't allowed out on the streets. I saw white walls and a white bed and a white desk -”

“What about birds and flowers? People?”

Baekhyun considered Chanyeol's question, “All the data was fed to me through the chip in my brain. If I wanted to see a balloon, I could dig up footage of balloons.”

Chanyeol felt a wave of pity towards all Elyxians in general, and Baekhyun the android in particular. He opted not to say anything.

Soon, it was time for dinner.

Chanyeol made a generous amount of porridge that night, and ladled a good portion of it on Baekhyun's plate. “Did they at least feed you well in Elyxion? I heard nobody ever sleeps on an empty stomach there.”

Baekhyun swallowed two-three spoonfuls before answering. “They sent food to my room at regular intervals.”

Spoilt in that department, Chanyeol thought, side eyeing the android eating with gusto.

“In Lawless, and where I grew up, good food is a luxury. Fresh food is rarely available, and expensive. I could buy a new place for myself but I can't afford a bag of fresh vegetables. Everything is either pickled or packaged, thanks to Elyxion. They gave us barren lands to settle on, nothing ever grows here, except mistrust and dacoity.”

“Friendship, too.” Chanyeol added as an afterthought. “You'd die in a place like Lawless if you didn't have friends watching your back.”

“Friends?” Baekhyun pondered over the word, forgetting to fill his mouth.

“Mm hmm.” Chanyeol nodded, watching Baekhyun abandon his spoon.

“Baekhyun doesn't have friends.”

“Sure you do.” Chanyeol motioned the android to continue with his dinner, “Yixing for one. He risked his butt to get you out of Elyxion. You can count him as one.”

“And you?”

“Huh?”

“Are you Baekhyun's friend too?”

Chanyeol realised that Baekhyun's eyes were blue to the point of distraction. “Come again?”

“You are my friend too, aren't you?”

Chanyeol hesitated, he did not want to lie, not even to an android. Not even to a sad android he was beginning to pity very much. “I'm afraid I am not a friend. I am your babysitter, I'll look after you until Yixing comes back to get you. You remember our conversation, don't you? Now this is good advice for survival - do not immediately trust people, not even me. You saw the money I took in exchange for taking care of you, didn't you? I am not a messiah, I am doing this for money. You're just a job for me. If Jongdae's landlady throws him out, I will offer him free food and a roof. That's because we are friends. If Yixing abandons you tomorrow, I won't take you in.”

Baekhyun stared at him with his strange, blue eyes. “Baekhyun trusts you. You bought balloons.”

Chanyeol was beginning to refute -

“Baekhyun trusts you.” the android stressed. “You're a friend.”

Chanyeol did not think it was possible, but his heart shattered a bit at Baekhyun's hopeful smile. He closed his eyes to shake the feeling off. “Like I told you, don't trust anyone so quickly.”

“Baekhyun trusts you.” The android repeated, grudgingly now.

Chanyeol sighed. “Alright. Alright. Now finish your porridge.”

The android smiled. Chanyeol thought it was downright creepy, an android considering you as a friend. Bloody Yixing had better be back soon to claim this defective piece of junk!

By the time Chanyeol was done doing the dishes, Baekhyun and his balloons had already occupied more than half the bed.

The gunsmith cleared his throat. Time for some tough love, he thought. “I can't sleep on the couch for two nights in a row. You take the couch tonight, and for all the rest of the nights.”

The android appeared not to hear him.

“Oi, android! Can't you hear me? I said, go and sleep on the couch.”

“But Baekhyun likes bed.” came the small protest.

“Chanyeol likes bed too. Chanyeol legs too long for couch. Now go.” Chanyeol used his best voice, the one he reserved for hard deals.

The android cut a sorry figure as he gathered his balloons and dragged his feet towards the other room. Chanyeol also realised that the android was wearing the tee he had lent Baekhyun the other night.

_ The android thinks it's his nightshirt!! _

Chanyeol had never owned a pet - men in Lawless didn't, mouths were hard to feed - but he supposed this is how dog owners felt when they discipline their puppies. A puppy android! What were the Elyxians thinking!

 

The android for sure needed a lot of training and discipline.

It was almost noon and Chanyeol had somewhere to be. He had prepared a rich breakfast for the android to dig in on, and couldn't understand why Baekhyun was batting those sad eyes at him.

“I told you, didn't I? I can't take you along.”

“What will Baekhyun do at home all alone?”

“You can clean the place up, for starters.” Chanyeol suggested, only half heartedly. He didn't want to make the android work.

The android processed the suggestion in the slowest possible manner. “Baekhyun will clean the house.” he decided at last.

Warning bells rang in the back of Chanyeol's mind at Baekhyun's declaration but he chose to ignore them. “Don't clean my work station.” he stressed, “If you could mop the dirt off the living area, that should be enough.”

Baekhyun nodded.

Chanyeol gave him a long, hard look, “I won't lock the door but you must  _ not  _ step outside.”

Baekhyun nodded.

“When I get back, I'll take you out for a walk or something. In the meantime, stay put, okay?”

More nods.

Chanyeol hesitated by the door, “Listen, if someone other than me knocks on the door, or tries to sneak in -”

“There's a spare gun in your closet, I know.”

“How -”

“I scanned the rooms when I came here.” Baekhyun replied simply.

Chanyeol raised a brow, “And you've totally stopped with the scanning thingy, haven't you?”

Baekhyun's blue eyes turned shifty. “I haven't scanned anything after you told me not to.”

Chanyeol was beginning to turn away when Baekhyun supplied very unhelpfully, “Your dragon tattoo, I - I didn’t see it all the way -”

“I don't want to hear it.” Chanyeol blurted, aghast and feeling hot all of a sudden, “That shit is plain weird. Keep it to yourself. Not a word more about what you saw or didn't see. Okay?”

“Okay.”

Chanyeol had already turned away and didn't see Baekhyun's grin.

 

Park Chanyeol opted to drive his car to Jongin's to save time; he needed to get home as early as possible to keep a close eye on the android. The gunsmith realised, almost 48 hours in, that Baekhyun was resourceful in his own way. He could only hope that Yixing would show up to claim the android soon.

Jongin was not in his station, having gone to visit the borders, and Chanyeol had to wait for close to an hour before the Chief arrived.

The Chief had an apologetic smile in his face.

“Trouble at the borders?” Chanyeol enquired.

Jongin shook his head good naturedly, “Everything is peaceful on that front. I have some good men guarding the perimeter. But no one can be more capable than you. Servicing was that fast this time, yes?”

Chanyeol placed the rifle case on the table. “The piston is damaged. You might want to buy a new assault rifle. There wasn't much I could do. The parts would get you a handsome amount in the black market. Do you want me to talk to my contacts?”

Jongin's face showed disbelief, “That soon?”

“Poor maintenance.” Chanyeol shrugged, “Maybe next time, you might want to oil it regularly.”

“And miss out on spending time with my loved ones? I think not. I am a family man now, Chanyeol. Oiling a rifle is the least of my worries.”

Chanyeol scratched a number in the notebook on Jongin's desk, “This is your man in the black market. Call me if there's any trouble.”

Jongin grabbed Chanyeol's arm, “Seriously Chanyeol, don't you think it's high time for you to take a step back and rethink your priorities?”

Chanyeol freed his arm, “My priority is to stay alive.”

“Anyone can see that you’ve done a swell job staying alive. But you've got to let someone in at some point, someone other than those two - Jongdae and Junmyeon!”

It was a statement and Chanyeol had heard those words from Jongin plenty times to take offence now. Maybe being childhood playmates did give Jongin the right to worry about Chanyeol.

Chanyeol patted Jongin's back, “I'm good. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a situation back home and really need to get back to it. Call me.”

Jongin's words reverberated in Chanyeol's ears as he drove home. Settle down, the Chief always said. But who with? The gunsmith's face turned sour. The only person he had been remotely interested in while growing up was Kyungsoo. It wasn't even a crush, just a fleeting thought in his early days. But Jongin had won on that front.

Not many people understood Chanyeol at a deeper level; the gunsmith tried his best to keep people at bay. Having too many attachments in Lawless was suicide. All he ever wanted to do was amass a considerable amount of wealth and spend his retirement in the distant mountains undisturbed.

Kyungsoo could have been the one, Kyungsoo could always elicit a smile from him. But that was years and years ago. He didn't think about Kyungsoo that way anymore.

Chanyeol changed course halfway home. Jongin was right. He needed company too, man cannot function in silo. But spending the rest of the day with the Corporation bred android was the last thing he wanted right now.

As had been stated earlier, come rain, hail, or snow, Kris’ tavern always did brisk business.

“Drinking in broad daylight? That's such a non Chanyeol thing to do.” Kris pulled Chanyeol's glass away from the gunsmith's hand as he sat down next to his buddy.

“I’m so glad to see you with your clothes on today.” Kris joked, or attempted to. None of them were known for their humour.

Chanyeol snatched his glass back, “Who are  _ those  _ people?” The gunsmith asked in a low voice.

Kris did not even have to look at the group of men gathered around a table. “Those are your new committee members. None of your concern, I presume? Empty sloganeering was never your thing anyway.”

Chanyeol nursed his drink. “Year after year, we are falling into further disrepair. Where are the schools and hospitals the committee promised last year? People on that side of the border have built tech to mimic human behaviour. And here we are.”

Kris eyed Chanyeol keenly, “It’s alright to envy the Elyxians sometimes, I suppose.”

Chanyeol winced, “Talk about it. When the streets smell of muck and you see children dying on streets, sure. When you see androids like Baekhyun stripped of their right to live with dignity, maybe not so much. The glitz and glitter of Elyxion is a trap.”

Kris signalled for refills. “Speaking of, how is our android? He looked pretty human to me.”

Chanyeol was busy downing his drink to observe Kris’ shrewd glance.

“Did no one tell you? Elyxians are deceptive, even Elyxian androids. Make no mistake, he is a droid. How else could he have used his vision to tell me that you have a pierced cock.”

Kris literally choked on his drink.

“Park Chanyeol, what the- he - the android told you that?”

Chanyeol patted the tavern owner's back, “A secret well kept. I wonder if your lady pals love the feel of steel inside them?”

“Fucker!” Kris glared in the gunsmith's direction. They both burst into laughter two seconds later. “So, how's the babysitting going? Keeping a careful watch on Yixing's newest package?”

“More like he keeps a careful watch on me.” Chanyeol snorted.

“Ever occured to you that he could be a spy?”

“As much as I hate to admit this, I trust Yixing. If he says Baekhyun needs to be kept away from Elyxion, I am all for it.”

“I'd still be wary if I were you.”

Chanyeol rose up to take leave, “I am wary, trust me. I wake up wary and I go to sleep wary.”

The gunsmith laughed off the tavern owner's concern. His guards were always up; if Kris thought he would lower them in front of an Elyxian droid, Kris could think again.

Chanyeol was a man always prepared.

Chanyeol was not mentally prepared for what awaited him at home though.

The android had not been idle, quite on the contrary. The floors looked shiny and dust from surfaces had vanished. Chanyeol's items and belongings earlier haphazardly thrown around were neatly arranged. The kitchen sink was shining too, so were all the edges that had been dull earlier.

The android was standing in the middle of the room, waiting to be petted for a job well done. But Chanyeol was hardly looking at him. The gunsmith's undivided attention was on the neat pile of currency on the dining table. That and the odd, very old packet of condoms placed beside the cash.

“What's all this?” Chanyeol asked dismayed.

“I cleaned the place, like you asked me to.”

“Not that.  _ This!”  _ Chanyeol gestured towards his life savings proudly displayed on the table.

“ _ Those?”  _ Baekhyun hesitated, “I think men use them during sex to steer away from sexually transmitted diseases?” The android looked uncomfortable now. “Why do  _ you _ have them?” The android's voice was almost accusatory.

Chanyeol was bewildered, and in shock.

_ Because I am a very healthy man with needs,  _ Chanyeol thought.

“Why is my money stacked on the table? Why did you fish them out of the hiding place? _How_ _did_ you find the hiding place?”

Baekhyun's mouth formed a small o. “ _ That's _ Lawless money? It looks weird. But shouldn't money be deposited in banks? Is it wise to hoard this much cash in -”

“Baekhyun! We don't have banks in Lawless!” Chanyeol explained in his exasperation. “That's all my life savings, neatly piled under the secret floorboard. Now help me put the cash back in.”

Baekhyun did not budge. “What about the contraceptives?”

“ _ What about them?  _ That's very personal Baekhyun, don't pry. It's none of your business.”

“So,” the android persisted, eyes a darker shade of blue, “you use them?”

“Yes.” Chanyeol blurted. He was a fool to have left them lying around.

“You sleep around.” It wasn't a question. It was a statement.

“I do. If you were a human, you would too. Now help me shove the money back under the floorboard.”

Baekhyun sighed.  _ The android sighed _ ! “I am hungry.”

Chanyeol looked up at the declaration, “Didn’t fix something to eat while I was gone?”

The android's shoulders sagged, “I was busy arranging your condoms.”

Chanyeol did not miss the spite behind those words. “You must be hungry then.”

“I am.” Baekhyun pushed his lips into a pout.

So human, Chanyeol thought.

“Will you clean more guns later?” Baekhyun asked in between spoonfuls. Chanyeol made him rice and beans, a delicacy in Lawless. The android seemed eager for Chanyeol's answer.

“I don't have any work as of now.”

The android appeared all too happy, “Baekhyun will go for a walk.”

 

The gunsmith watched as the android scraped the rice off the bowl. “Maybe after dusk.” 

 

Baekhyun set the spoon down and blinked his eyes at Chanyeol, not bothering to conceal his delight. “Baekhyun will go for a walk after dusk.”

 

The android promptly snoozed off on Chanyeol's bed after the late lunch. The carefree way in which Baekhyun chose to sleep told so much about the amount of trust he placed on the gunsmith. 

 

Chanyeol painstakingly stacked his bills back under the floorboard. He was half amused, half done with the world when he found his condoms discarded in the trashbin. 

 

The thought that Baekhyun was a territorial android never crossed his mind. 

 

When the skies began to turn dark outside, the android roused himself from the bed and pulled Chanyeol's sleeve. Evening walk, the blue eyes conveyed.  

 

Chanyeol sighed inwardly. Bloody Yixing had turned him into an android-sitter. An android-walker! He might as well adopt a stray pup. But that won't pay, the gunsmith thought sagely. 

 

“Wear one of my spare hoodies from the cupboard.” Chanyeol directed, then watched the android excitedly scoot towards the cupboard. 

 

He watched as Baekhyun put the hoodie over his head, looking every bit human. 

 

The gunsmith noticed, perhaps for the very first time, that Baekhyun had impossibly long lashes. A very delicate mouth. It seemed all too real.

 

Elyxion was a fucked up place!

 

When Baekhyun’s eyes lifted to calmly rest on the gunsmith, Chanyeol’s breath hitched. He had never seen a more darling little thing in Lawless. He wondered whether all things in Elyxion were so pretty, and as lacking of depth as the android was.

  
  


The gunsmith couldn't imagine how a walk around a place like Lawless could seem so appealing. But the android was besotted with everything he spied along the way. 

 

The android had a skip in his step. “Not so fast. Don't run on the street!”

 

Baekhyun appeared not to hear him. A defective android through and through. 

 

Baekhyun was quick to grab Chanyeol's sleeve when a dog barked at them though. 

 

“What's the matter? Scared of a poor mongrel?” Chanyeol laughed, amused at Baekhyun's stricken face. 

 

“Baekhyun doesn't like to be barked at.”

 

The android stuck close to the gunsmith after that. 

 

“This is Robber's Alley.” Chanyeol announced nonchalantly as they turned into a narrow street. There were no street lamps here. “Deserted for now, but this place comes alive around midnight. If you're unarmed and all alone in Robber's Alley, you'll part with your life for sure, and your belongings. Maybe also a kidney or two.”

 

Baekhyun hummed, mirroring Chanyeol's tone. “It stinks.”

 

Chanyeol laughed. “No cherry blossoms in this side of the border. When I was thirteen, or fourteen, I don't remember, a gang of men robbed me of my meagre belongings right about here.”

 

The android's eyes were big blues. 

 

“Yup. I went penniless and hungry for days.” 

 

They walked in silence for a few minutes.

 

“Don't pity me though. A rascal like oldie took me in soon after. He allowed me to sleep in the loft, used to give me scraps if I made deliveries for him.” 

 

Chanyeol grabbed Baekhyun's elbow and led him to even narrower, stinkier streets. “The beggar's lane.” he supplied. “Never begged a day in my life. I did all kinds of odd jobs. The old man taught me to read. He taught me his trade, well, not at first. It took quite some years for him to trust me.”

 

The air smelled even fouler now. Chanyeol laughed at the pinched expression on the android's face “We are nearing the fish market. Ever been? I suppose not.” 

 

“Fish is the only thing freely available to us. The corporation left the big, wide ocean for us, thank the heavens. I met Kris here. We both moonlighted as fishsellers’ apprentices.”

 

Baekhyun removed his fingers from his nose. “Kris?”

 

Chanyeol shrugged, “A friend.”

 

The gunsmith was too busy showing the android around the fish market to take note of the scowl on Baekhyun's face. 

 

People in the market recognised the gunsmith. Some greeted Chanyeol gaily, others glanced in their direction covertly. They were too taken with Chanyeol's sudden appearance in the fish market to properly observe his hooded companion. At first. 

 

When people started to whisper behind their backs about Chanyeol's mysterious companion, the gunsmith decided it was time to exit the place. “I don't come to this place anymore. Thought you should see how life, real life, looks like.”

 

“Baekhyun wants to go home.”

 

Chanyeol bit back his smirk. “What? Already done?”

 

“Baekhyun is tired.” 

 

“You just recharged yourself a while back, didn't you?”

 

“Baekhyun is really tired.” the android protested, fingers pinching his nose, and trying very hard not to gag at the pungent smell of rotten fish.

 

Chanyeol gave in to the laughter that had been bubbling in his chest for so long. “Baekhyun hasn't seen the best part of Lawless yet. Come.”

 

The android eyed him with suspicion, blue eyes sparkling in the dark, “Where is this place?” He wouldn’t budge.

 

Chanyeol steered Baekhyun around, “If I tell you, it would be no fun.”

 

The android dragged his feet along. 

 

The gunsmith took Baekhyun to the abandoned parking lot, now a junkyard for discarded car parts. It was quite a bit far off from the markets and residential areas, and not even dogs barked here. 

 

“I come here whenever I need some peace and quiet. Spooky, isn't it?” 

 

The android looked around the dimly lit space. He stumbled on a half burnt tyre. 

 

Chanyeol laughed some more. 

 

They found a rusty old truck to climb onto. Chanyeol watched Baekhyun gaze at the stars twinkling up above 

 

“This is the clearest view of the night sky you'll get in Lawless, android!”

 

The Elyxian mumbled softly in displeasure, “Baekhyun.”

 

“The air doesn't smell as foul, does it?” Chanyeol enquired after a while. 

 

“The stars look nice.” came the reply. 

 

“Leastways, no one can claim ownership of the skies. In the Old World, people used to write odd things like poems about stars. Imagine living in such carefree times..” 

 

“This isn't too bad either.” Baekhyun said softly, happily, his eyes turned skywards. 

 

Chanyeol brought his Red Hawk out on the walk back home. His other hand held on tight to the android. 

 

“Don't worry too much.” the gunsmith whispered, smiling lopsidedly, “If someone so much as looks in our direction, I'll have their eyes.”

  
  


Baekhyun slept soundly on the couch that night, too soundly. When Chanyeol went to check up on the android later in the night, he found that Baekhyun had tumbled to the floor. The android's cheeks were flat against the cold of the floor. 

 

Chanyeol sighed. How could someone sleep so peacefully on the cold, hard floor!

 

The next night, the gunsmith arrived just in time to prevent the android from falling to the floor again. 

 

“Okay, enough.” Chanyeol announced, “You can sleep on the bed.”

 

Baekhyun lost no time in sleep walking towards the bed. He hid one pillow under his tummy and smiled sleepily, eyes closed. 

  
  


The next couple of weeks were very busy for the gunsmith. At first, he was tasked with repairing dented shotgun barrels. The next job he found for himself was to build a custom made gun from scratch for a very well paying client. 

 

Initially, Chanyeol had barred the android's entry into his workspace. He thought better of it later. Anything was better than listening to the android singing to himself in the other room, some  _ nyam nyam nyam  _ song that Baekhyun had come up with himself. The gunsmith was not particularly fond of cats, but Baekhyun seemed to revel in posturing as a kitty.

 

Androids could sing! Such a strange world it was, and for one such as Chanyeol, so intimidating. So he let Baekhyun sit on one corner of his workspace and watch him go about his work. Sometimes, the android came in handy too, like that time when Baekhyun helped in assembling parts. 

 

Baekhyun had nimble fingers and an astute eye. He would have made a valuable apprentice. 

 

The gunsmith soon learnt that the android did not always like helping Chanyeol with his work. Baekhyun needed regular naps and frequent meals. He needed free time to nose around in the other rooms, looking for odd, long hidden-away stuff. He also needed free time to sigh and turn this way and that. 

 

The android would stand by the window and survey the alley down below. He would act all excited upon spotting an urchin, a dog or a bird. Baekhyun could stand for hours, looking through the window, spying on unsuspecting passers-by. 

 

“Come away from that goddamned window, some one will spot you!” Chanyeol’s words fell on deaf android ears.

 

Taking the android out in the cover of nightfall had become a regular activity for the gunsmith. A well exercised android was a sulk-free android, Chanyeol learnt early on. And Baekhyun could sulk. Chanyeol would never understand these Elyxion androids! He had got so busy with his new projects that he ignored Baekhyun’s pleas to go watch the stars. For seven days straight, Chanyeol did not budge from his work station, bent over the disassembled parts, sawing and filing. 

 

“Can’t you see I’m busy? This is how I get paid, how  _ you  _ get food. Tchh! Really can’t wait for Yixing to come and get you. It’s been more than a month already! I can’t believe he dumped an android on my doorstep just like that.” Chanyeol’s eyes were fixed on his tools and he did not see the look in Baekhyun's blue eyes. The liquid blue. 

 

In Chanyeol’s defence, he was really tired and did not put much thought behind his words. Men in Lawless were thick skinned. Baekhyun was not from around here, heck, the android was not even supposed to have feelings! 

 

But for the next seven days, Baekhyun sulked. He slept during the day and slept at night and would only wake up for meals. 

 

Chanyeol did not mind the quiet in the beginning. In fact, he was secretly happy that he had been relieved from answering Baekhyun’s thousand and one daily questions. If Baekhyun wanted to act scarce, Chanyeol was more than happy to play along. In the beginning. 

 

Later one morning, as he watched the android toss and turn fitfully in his sleep, Chanyeol kinda, sorta missed Baekhyun's unceasing questions. It felt good to have someone to talk to, someone impartial and ignorant. 

 

He pinched the android’s nose, “Wake up.”

 

Baekhyun slowly opened his eyes, allowing Chanyeol to glimpse into the clear blue untainted with any evil or deceit, so very different than any eyes the gunsmith had gazed into. So inhuman, yet more human than most. 

 

Perhaps the android’s system rebooted the slowest, because Baekhyun stupidly gazed back at him without probably even realising that he was doing so.

 

_ What does he think when he looks at me like that,  _ Chanyeol found himself colouring at the open gaze. He, a man of Lawless, was flustered over an android’s unfettered gaze. 

 

“Want to go somewhere today?” the gunsmith offered with an easy smile.

 

The android blinked and looked away. No, said the body language.

 

Chanyeol had never thought he would have to apply all his charm on an android of all people. “Come on.” he poked Baekhyun’s ribs, “It’ll be fun.”

 

“Baekhyun won’t go.” 

 

Chanyeol watched in dismay as the android turned away and gave him his back. 

 

The gunsmith sat up on the bed, “Why not?” He poked Baekhyun’s shoulder now. 

 

“You have work.”

 

Chanyeol shrugged at the reminder. “Work can wait for a day. There is no hurry.”

 

There was no reply. 

 

Chanyeol waited. 

 

Slowly, but before he could laugh over the absurdity of his own behaviour and consequently stop himself, the gunsmith reached out for the jet black hair. He tugged at the tendrils, maybe caressed the head. 

 

“You’ve never been on my Hummer, have you? It’s a beast on the desert. Such adventure, think Baekhyun, think.”

 

He ruffled Baekhyun’s hair playfully, “Bet you haven’t seen the desert. Or been on a desert safari.” 

 

Baekhyun's back seemed interested at what Chanyeol was proposing. 

 

“Baekhyun wants to see desert before Yixing comes back.” The android sat up as well. 

 

Those stupid blue eyes, Chanyeol thought stupidly. He felt like he had never ever looked at someone as clearly before. People were fuzzy and blended with the background, but Baekhyun was as stark as those stark blue eyes. 

 

Elyxion peddled dreams and Baekhyun could be a dream upon a dream himself!! Such beauty, Chanyeol thought to himself, such beauty was criminal! By what right could such beauty be allowed to thrive when people were dying left and right of hunger and disease. Elyxion beauty! They say heaven is filled with beautiful things, perhaps Elyxion wants only beautiful beings inhabiting it. Perhaps they built Baekhyun in the likeness of someone who had existed aeons ago, some mythical creature, someone of legend and lore. 

 

“What were they thinking when they built you? Who did they fashion you after? Was it a living soul, or long dead?” Chanyeol whispered.

 

Baekhyun frowned.

 

“Do you know who you were modelled after? Is he real? Is he alive?”

 

The android's frown deepened, “Baekhyun doesn’t know.”

 

Chanyeol sighed, pulling himself out of the blue depths in the process, “He must be real. He must be beautiful.” 

 

Baekhyun stared at him, expressionless, at the observation.

 

“You think so?” the android enquired after a while. 

 

Chanyeol chuckled. “I mean, yeah. The eyes, nose, lips, they’re all perfect.”

 

“And the cheeks?” Baekhyun politely asked.

 

Chanyeol stayed his finger from poking at the cream buns, “Very chubby.”

 

“And chin?” Baekhyun lifted his nose so the gunsmith could properly view the chin.

 

“Adorable.” Chanyeol said the first thing that came to his mind. 

 

“Eyelashes?” The android batted his eyes.

 

“Perfect.” Chanyeol replied without much thought. 

 

“Fingers?” 

 

Chanyeol laughingly grabbed the android's hands, “Like they've never done a day of menial work.”

 

“Baekhyun’s voice?” a whisper full of hesitation. 

 

Chanyeol shook his head, “Pleasant until you sing that cat song.”

 

“And Baekhyun?” The android sat up erect on the bed, eager for an answer. 

 

“Baekhyun?” the android prodded again. 

 

_ A friend? A good listener? Not mine. Not for keepsakes, definitely.  _

 

_ Mine to protect only until Yixing comes,  _ Chanyeol’s brain provided the answer. How odd! 

 

_ “ _ Someone who sleeps and eats a lot.” Chanyeol teased, shutting his inner voice down. “A cat!”

 

The android protested. “Baekhyun doesn't sleep and eat a lot!” 

 

“Erm, isn’t that what you’ve been doing for the past week?” 

 

“Baekhyun will go on a desert safari.” 

 

Baekhyun’s pout?

 

Lethal. 

 

It was an hour’s drive from Lawless to the endless stretch that was the desert, barren lands that began here and who knew ended where. Uninhabited wastelands, remnants of the great catastrophe that occured a century ago, when only a handful and not the most intelligent survived. 

 

“You need to pull the windows up when we get there. Too much dust.” Chanyeol explained to Baekhyun who was sticking his neck out of the window. 

 

Baekhyun hummed, black hair flying this way and that with the wind. He appeared not to pay Chanyeol much mind.

 

They had come well armed, the desert was a lurking place for all manners of scoundrels. Chanyeol's Hummer was not too different from a tanker and rabble rousers knew to steer clear whenever they saw the trademark black vehicle approach.

 

Yixing could  _ not  _ have chosen a better android sitter! 

 

Baekhyun was the fastest to roll the car window up at the sight of the approaching dust storm. Chanyeol chuckled, “It’s just a dust storm. Ready for an adventure?” He didn’t wait for Baekhyun’s answer and drove straight into the storm at breakneck speed. “What, afraid?” Chanyeol was grinning with all his teeth out, “This is child’s play for me.”

 

Chanyeol was driving in topmost speed at zero visibility. He lived for this thrill. 

 

“We may hit someone.” Baekhyun cautioned. 

 

“In here? Now? There’s probably not a soul around. Just enjoy this. There is such a thing called riding the storm.” Chanyeol was enjoying this a little too much - the storm and Baekhyun’s alarm.

 

Nevertheless, the gunsmith lowered the speed five minutes later, when it became all too obvious that Baekhyun was not enjoying at all. “Fine. Fine. We’ll wait for the storm to pass.”

 

They carefully wiped the windscreen later. 

 

“This is much better.” Baekhyun stated, bobbing up and down the sand dunes along with the Hummer. He was thrilled, Chanyeol could see. 

 

Ever since their ride in the desert, Chanyeol had taken pains to take Baekhyun out and about, if only for a short walk. 

 

Who knew where Yixing would hide Baekhyun next, if the android would be able to set foot outside. So, Chanyeol often took the android out after dusk. To some, Baekhyun was his cousin. To others, Baekhyun was an apprentice. 

 

Keeping up a lie was so tedious, Chanyeol wanted Yixing to get back as soon as possible. Sometimes though, listening to Baekhyun chat away over meals, or watching him softly doze, the gunsmith hoped to never set eyes on Yixing ever again.

 

All things said and done, Chanyeol was a man of Lawless. He knew not to get attached to people..things. Baekhyun was a thing after all, Baekhyun was not even human. 

 

And so, the days passed, with no sign or word of Yixing. Time passes by in scariest haste, especially if you want it to slow down.

 

Chanyeol had not figured all of Baekhyun yet. 

 

Wendy came and placed the glass of whiskey with a hard thump on the well scrubbed wooden table. “We hardly see you these days. Are you building a device to bring entire Elyxion down?” The waitress’ voice was indignant, arms placed on her waist. 

 

Chanyeol laughed at the preposterous suggestion. “Actually,” he took a sip of whiskey, “not a very bad idea. Sadly, Elyxion is the committee’s problem. Not mine.”

 

Wendy lingered, “They say you are busy showing your cousin the incredible sights of Lawless. He didn’t accompany you tonight?” 

 

Chanyeol winced. The whiskey was too strong, too neat. “He is too young to drink with the elders.” 

 

Wendy bent to whisper in his ears, “Nobody is too young to drink in Kris’ tavern.” 

 

The tall figure of Kris loomed over the both of them, “I thought I told you not to flirt with my staff!”

 

Wendy left with a bow and a wink. 

 

“Wasn’t flirting.” Chanyeol clicked his tongue, “You spend back to back weeks bent over work, cooking three times a day. See if you have the energy to flirt with barmaids..” the gunsmith trailed away. 

 

“You are just a very good looking bastard.” Kris rapped Chanyeol’s back. The tavern owner scanned his customer’s profile, “Not quite poor too. Come over to eat here, I could do with the extra cash.”

 

Chanyeol snorted, “Yeah, but I can’t bring the android to your place to feed him.” He looked around, “This place is always filled with all too important people. My android needs to stay off the radar.”

 

Kris waved Chanyeol’s concerns off, “Who even cares about your cousin from the mountains?”

 

“Some people know I have no family to speak of, let alone cousins.” The gunsmith lowered his voice, “People like Jongin.”

 

“You don’t trust Jongin?”

 

“I don't trust anyone. Period. You included.”

 

Kris shrugged, “Fair enough.” They drank in silence, until a bulb lit in the tavern owner's head. “Hold up! Hold up just a sec. When you said you’re cooking three meals a day, you don’t mean to say that you’re cooking  _ for the android,  _ do you?”

 

Chanyeol looked up, “He eats a lot.”

 

Kris gaped at the gunsmith. “Why would a fucking android eat?”

 

Chanyeol shrugged, “Apparently, that’s his fuel.”

 

Kris frowned, “Is it? How convenient! And tell me something, this android, does he sleep?”

 

“A lot.”

 

“Huh? How about his hair? Does it grow?”

 

“Was way too long when he arrived. Got Jongdae’s cousin to trim it.”

 

“I see. What about his nails? Do they grow as well?”

 

“Trimmed his fingernails only yesterday.” Chanyeol supplied without any serious thought. 

 

Kris looked at the gunsmith with undisguised contempt.

 

“Ouch! What’s that look for?” 

 

“Tell me something. Does your android bleed as well? Should we find out?”

 

Chanyeol slowly lifted his eyes to glare at the tavern owner, “Kris,” he said, “don’t cross your limits.”

 

Kris rubbed his nose and leaned towards Chanyeol, voice low but vehement still, “I see how it is. You won’t trust either Jongin or me, Jongin who you’ve known since childhood, or me, forever your brother in arms. But you’ll put your unflinching trust on that brat!”

 

Chanyeol hissed. His eyes always conveyed displeasure and anger well.

 

“Let’s see. A super life like android built by Elyxians. Looks like a human. Eats and sleeps like one. Would probably bleed like a human too. Oh, you know what I think? He  _ is _ a human in disguise.”

 

Chanyeol didn’t argue, it wasn’t in his nature to. He simply fished for a bill inside his pocket and quietly placed the note on the table. He was almost out of the tavern, but traced his steps back to where Kris sat for a final warning, “This is the last time you’ve shown any interest in my android. If you know what’s best for you, you’ll keep your interest and curiosity in check.”

 

The two friends stared at each other, Chanyeol with more anger than concern. 

 

Kris was on call the second Chanyeol’s Hummer revved away, “I’ll gladly pay you to get back and dig up dirt on Chanyeol’s new BFF.” 

 

Jongdae, on the other end, laughed his obnoxious laugh. “I hear you. Junmyeon and I are almost halfway there.”

 

“Well, you sure are taking your sweet time getting back. Meanwhile, our Chanyeol’s cooped up with this  _ android 24/7,  _ lapping up the lies.”

 

“What can I say? Had to make a few deliveries on the way. Will see your sweet ass soon.”

 

_ You had better,  _ thought Kris. 

  
  


Chanyeol bought a bottle of hard liquor on his way home. He downed the entire contents of the bottle, slouched on the couch, somewhat aware of the android staring at him with judgement in his eyes. The gunsmith didn’t care; he wanted to get drunk good and proper. It had been ages since he let go of his self control, a silly android could not stop him from getting wasted. 

 

Happily drunk, Chanyeol motioned Baekhyun to come sit closer. “Kris at the tavern thinks you are a spy.” he slurred.

 

The blue eyes went wide. “I am ..a spy?”

 

Chanyeol nodded. 

 

“Do you..think I'm a spy?” the android asked slowly.

 

Chanyeol imitated a snort. “Kris at the tavern also thinks you are a human disguised as an android.”

 

There was pindrop silence. Then, “Do you think so too?”

 

Chanyeol laughed, “I wish!” The gunsmith leaned against the couch and stared at the ceiling, “sometimes I wish so much for you to be human. Why can’t you be a human? Why did you have to be an android?”

 

Chanyeol would remember none of this the next day.

 

Baekhyun said nothing. He just sat next to the drunk Chanyeol and stared at the gunsmith with an indiscernible look. 

 

“You are not real, nothing about this is real. Not you, not our walks, not our conversations. You are just a cleverly programmed machine. You don't feel, do you? You just react appropriately, as humans are supposed to react?” Chanyeol extended his hand to pat Baekhyun’s head. 

 

“Why aren’t you real?”

 

Baekhyun poked the gunsmith’s knee, “I am here. I am real.”

 

Chanyeol snorted. “ _ You  _ think you are real. Somehow, by some freak accident, you learnt to think and act for yourself. That doesn’t make you human.”

 

Baekhyun blinked sadly, “What makes a human human? Why can’t I be one too?”

 

Chanyeol sighed. “Humans are flawed. They aren’t perfect. But you, when you assemble a rifle, it’s so perfectly done, with such precision, it freaks me out. You have scanners for eyes. You - I saw you memorise the entire book on how to build a tanker in under five minutes.”

 

“I was bored that day.” Baekhyun protested. “And you wouldn’t take me out.”

 

Chanyeol rubbed his eyes. “Go sleep.”

 

Baekhyun sat by his side until he passed out. “Sorry.” Baekhyun mumbled quietly, “I don’t know how to be a human."

  
  


They never raked up the issue of Yixing coming to fetch Baekhyun. It was something Chanyeol was beginning to dread, that knock on the door. What if Yixing came and took Baekhyun away? What would he do then? What right did he have to keep the android all for himself? Was it even feasible for Baekhyun to stay in Lawless?

 

Only Kris was aware that Baekhyun was an android. Kris was many things to many people, but Chanyeol knew the tavern owner wouldn’t leak the information, well, not unless a huge sum of money was involved. Chanyeol wondered if anyone would be looking for a malfunctioning android for more than a month. 

 

Baekhyun acted so cute when he was well fed, how would Chanyeol deal with the sudden loss when the android was gone. He had become really fond of Baekhyun, he accepted this much, perhaps fonder than he will ever be of his Red Hawk, definitely fonder than he had ever been of Kyungsoo once upon a very long time ago. 

 

In the end, the gunsmith decided to take it one day at a time and spend as much time as possible with Baekhyun. In Lawless, wasn’t it the only law - to live each day up? Because tomorrow wasn’t guaranteed, tomorrow never came anyway. 

 

Baekhyun definitely loved the extra attention from him, it was so evident, so human, that silly smile never leaving his kittenish face. 

 

Chanyeol refused to take up any new projects for the time being; he took his android out on long drives instead. One day, he drove Baekhyun in an altogether different direction - where the mountains lay. 

 

“There lies my past. I have never looked back once in all these years.” Chanyeol pointed at the distant mountain range. “The place where I was born lies miles away. An entire five day journey from Lawless..not to mention trekking through the mountains.” Chanyeol trailed away. He chuckled. “I was barely a teenager when I, along with a few others, escaped life in the mountains to meet our destinies head on. Jongin is a Chief now, and Kyungsoo his partner. I hated Jongin so much and so hard when Kyungsoo chose him over me. I fancied Kyungsoo when I was very young.” Chanyeol laughed at the absurdity of the statement. He did not even know why he was divulging his life’s most embarrassing details in front on an android. But Baekhyun was such a good listener..

 

Baekhyun did not seem to share Chanyeol’s mirth, if anything, the android was looking at him with an odd expression. The sun was beginning to hide itself in the horizon, a pale orange of shyness. Baekhyun’s blue eyes were sharp, “Kyungsoo.” The android tried the taste of the name on his tongue, seeming not to like it. 

 

“He is a calm person, much too calm in the midst of all the madness that was our childhood. You would have liked him.” Chanyeol tried to convince his android.

 

Baekhyun immediately shook his head. No, he seemed to be saying. 

 

Chanyeol laughed. “There’s not a person who dislikes Kyungsoo. Oh wait, but you are not a person, are you?”

 

Baekhyun looked offended. Very offended. “Take Baekhyun there.” he demanded, pointing towards the mountain range. 

 

“I don’t know the way back myself.”

 

“Baekhyun will go there.” 

 

“No, Baekhyun will not. I never returned. It’s a hard trek. And life is harsh.” Chanyeol shrugged, “At least it used to be back in the day. Jongdae and Junmyeon make frequent trips though, they smuggle weed that grow in the mountains. In good times and bad, men are known to smoke.”

 

“Jongdae?” 

 

“Mm. Jongdae.”

 

“Your friend Jongdae?”

 

Chanyeol nodded, internally amused at the expressions flitting over Baekhyun’s face. “Don’t tell me you dislike Jongdae as well?”

 

“Baekhyun doesn’t dislike anyone.”

 

“Yeah, right.”

 

Baekhyun definitely disliked Jongdae. It became alarmingly evident when Jongdae and Junmyeon showed up at Chanyeol’s place one evening. 

 

It was right after dinner. 

 

Chanyeol had prepared fish curry that night, and the android had eaten it with a lot of apprehension. In the end, Baekhyun ended up eating the meal sans fish. The gunsmith chortled at the disgusted expression on Baekhyun's face. “For someone who sings the cat song so often, you sure dislike fish.” 

 

Baekhyun did not mind household chores. He never cooked though, or cleaned up after. Chanyeol was halfway through the dishes when the guests barged inside his house.

 

There was some solid banging on the door. Chanyeol turned towards Baekhyun, who had been leaning against the open window, staring at the lights down below. 

 

The android turned his blue eyes towards the door, and lifted two fingers. 

 

Two men.

 

Chanyeol wiped his hands in his pants. He was about to reach for his Red Hawk when Baekhyun muttered sullenly, “One of them has a tattoo on his chest. It says  _ Jongdae is Boss.” _

 

The gunsmith let go of his gun, relieved. 

 

Jongdae and Junmyeon pushed past Chanyeol the second they were allowed entry. 

 

“So  _ this _ is why you’ve been holed up inside the house.” Jongdae announced, sizing Baekhyun up. The android stared right back at Jongdae, face devoid of any expression.

 

Chanyeol rolled his eyes, and thumped Junmyeon on the back, “When did you fuckers get back from the mountains?”

 

Jongdae did a circle around Baekhyun, awe in his face, “As a matter of fact, we arrived three days ago. Thought we’d bump into each other at the tavern anyway-” He poked Baekhyun's cheek, making the android edge away. “-only for Kris to tell me that you are too busy babysitting your android. Damn, it does look life like, just like Kris said.”

 

“Don’t touch him.” Chanyeol said, voice firm. He turned to Baekhyun next, “Get inside. Go.”

 

The android seemed to be on the verge of pouting at the curt send off. Chanyeol decided it was best not to argue with him, not in front of Jongdae and Junmyeon. He wordlessly grabbed hold of Baekhyun’s arm and pushed him towards the bedroom. 

 

“You said you'll take Baekhyun to watch the stars tonight.” the android reminded him as Chanyeol was about to close the bedroom door. Baekhyun had not bothered to lower his voice. 

 

“I’ll take you tomorrow.”

 

Chanyeol watched the android frown in displeasure. “Baekhyun dislikes Jongdae.” 

 

The gunsmith blinked. “Don’t come out.” He saw the android  _ glare  _ at him as he closed the bedroom door shut. 

 

Jongdae whistled. “You take  _ that  _ thing out for stargazing? Congrats man, you’ve officially lost your mind.”

 

Chanyeol did not say anything. 

 

Junmyeon backed Jongdae up, they were like a pair of well oiled greasy guns, “Kris told me you declined two of the jobs he managed to eke out for you? All for  _ that _ ?”

 

Chanyeol clicked his tongue impatiently, “I am getting handsomely rewarded for babysitting Baekhyun. It’s only a matter of time before Yixing comes back for him. I can get back my mojo once I am relieved of Baekhyun’s charge.”

 

Jongdae raised his brows, “It has a name too?”

 

Junmyeon did not appear convinced either. “Yixing knows you deal only in weapons and armory. Why did he bring an android to you for safekeeping? That’s more of Kris’ thing, no?”

 

Chanyeol was aware that Baekhyun was definitely eavesdropping in on their conversation with his super human hearing. “Yixing knows I do not ask any more questions than absolutely necessary. Besides, I think I warned Kris to not pry and poke. Do you think he needs another warning to let Baekhyun off the hook? I take it that he told you two about Baekhyun?”

 

Jongdae’s eyes were like shutters, he got the message loud and clear. Back off, Chanyeol was saying. 

 

“Getting attached to a bloody android will get you nowhere.” Junmyeon observed sagely. 

 

Chanyeol did not reply to that. The atmosphere inside the room was tense. They had known each other all their cursed lives, watched each others backs. Chanyeol had never been so dog headed about anything. He seemed unwilling to discuss about the android. 

 

It worried Jongdae. It was so unlike Chanyeol. The gunsmith was the more level headed among all of them. Why can’t he see that there was more than met the eye as far as the android was concerned. 

 

“You should bring the android to the tavern.” Jongdae chirped happily, attempting to lighten the mood. “All the girls miss you. There is but one eye candy in all of Lawless. Don’t deprive them of your lovely guns at least. Come out to play, and bring your android along.”

 

Not in a thousand years would he expose Baekhyun like that, Chanyeol thought to himself. 

 

It was close to dawn when the two visitors said their goodbyes. Jongdae merrily informed that he’d drop by as often as he could, “It’s because I miss you.”

 

Chanyeol thought not. 

 

Baekhyun had dozed off, hogging all the pillows. The gunsmith smiled at the sight. 

  
  


Jongdae was as determined as any other asshole in Lawless. He dropped by Chanyeol’s place every other day, on some pretext or the other, attempting to make conversation with the android. Strangely, Baekhyun did not utter a peep whenever Jongdae was present. He appeared determined not to give Jongdae whatever the latter was fishing for. 

 

It amused Chanyeol sometimes. He was petrified at first, when Jongdae took to hanging around the place. He was worried for Baekhyun’s sake, fearing that Jongdae would bother the android and ask innumerable questions. Baekhyun, however, was a smart android. He never gave Jongdae the leeway, sitting very quiet in the same room, behaving like a lifeless statue. 

 

The gunsmith wondered whether androids have their favourites too, whether they  _ liked _ or  _ preferred _ one human more than the other. 

 

“Your android doesn’t talk, like ever, like at all.” Jongdae yawned. They were playing cards. “Don’t you get bored?”

 

Chanyeol resisted the urge to chortle. Quite on the contrary, he thought. He glanced in the android's direction, Baekhyun appeared to be poring over a book. Chanyeol knew that the blue eyed was only interested in their conversation; Baekhyun could read entire books in under three minutes. 

 

“Sometimes.” Chanyeol admitted happily. He was doubly amused when he saw Baekhyun purse his lips at the declaration. 

 

“Wendy asked after you yesterday. You know what I think? She definitely wants you to get inside her pants.” 

 

Warning bells rang in the back of the gunsmith’s mind. “Err-” he scratched his head.

 

“You haven’t slept with her yet, have you? Was it Joy you had a drunken encounter with?” Jongdae looked up from his cards.

 

Chanyeol was not even looking at his friend. He was looking at the android’s reaction. The blue eyes looked at Chanyeol so sharply that the gunsmith got chills down his spine. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” 

 

Jongdae gave a lopsided smile, “I think you do. It was New Year’s. Joy had too much to drink. You took her to the washroom, took care of her when she puked all over your clothes. She helped you take your soiled clothes off and then -”

 

Chanyeol abandoned his cards to put his hand over Jongdae’s runaway mouth. “Enough. Enough. I remember.”

 

Jongdae’s eyes were tiny slits of merriment. “Of course you do. Joy says you’re the best she has ever had.”

 

Baekhyun slammed the book as hard as he could on the floor. Both friends startled at the android's sudden behaviour. They watched in dumb astonishment as Baekhyun marched off towards the bedroom and locked himself in. 

 

Jongdae clutched his stomach in silent laughter, “You two.” he said, “Both of you. So possessive.”

 

Chanyeol glared at his friend. Jongdae collected himself, “You’re the bigger fool though. A, he is an android and B, he may not be all that he seems. Think, Chanyeol, for once forget that you’re taken by the android's angelic looks and  _ think!  _ Are  _ machines  _ supposed to react that way? Doesn’t that look like absolute human behaviour to you? The  _ jealousy? _ I have spoken to a friend in Elyxion. I’ll get to the bottom of this -”

 

“You’ll get out of my house is what you’ll do right now.” Chanyeol said coldly. 

 

“Fine.” Jongdae shrugged carelessly, “Wait for me to get back with solid evidence. You wait.”

 

Chanyeol thought Baekhyun would tiptoe out of the bedroom now that Jongdae was gone, but the android did nothing of the sort. 

 

The gunsmith sighed. The android could sulk for days on end over pointless things. Baekhyun sat up on the bed when he walked inside the room, “Chanyeol has a girlfriend?” No preamble. 

 

Chanyeol was nonplussed, of all things an android could ask. “No, I don’t.” He felt tired all of a sudden. 

 

“Chanyeol..kiss other girls?” 

 

The gunsmith felt hot and stuffy, he avoided the blue eyed gaze. “Chanyeol has kissed many girls,” he stated brazenly, “and boys. What’s it to you? Go to sleep.”

 

Baekhyun sat blinking on the bed for a few seconds. Then, mind made up, the android suddenly grabbed a pillow and climbed out of the bed. Chanyeol watched his actions with a frown. He halted the android’s march by grabbing Baekhyun by the waist. “Where do you think you are going?”

 

“Baekhyun will sleep on the couch.”

 

Chanyeol gawked at the declaration. The nerve. “And why is Baekhyun suddenly sleeping on the couch?”

 

“Baekhyun is angry.” the android replied truthfully. 

 

The gunsmith’s eyes narrowed, “ Why is Baekhyun angry, pray tell.”

 

The android muttered something under his breath.

 

“What was that? Come again?”

 

For the first time ever, the android stomped his feet on the cold, hard floor. “Baekhyun is confused but Baekhyun is angry. Don’t ask why.”

 

“What are  _ you  _ confused and angry about?” Chanyeol called after Baekhyun's departing back but received no reply. 

 

Great. Now they were  _ both _ confused and angry. 

 

Chanyeol stood still like a statue in the silence which ensued, conflicting thoughts racing in his mind. Jongdae's observation about how Baekhyun was so human-like played in his ear like a broken record. It was not something Chanyeol hadn't wondered about himself. 

 

He was street smart. He was  _ smart _ . The fact that there was something odd about Baekhyun did enter his mind. The android acted more out of impulse than inbuilt programming. Chanyeol always pushed such doubts to the back of his mind. Why can't a carefully constructed android mimic human behaviour to the T? Clearly there was so much Yixing hadn't divulged about the android and truthfully speaking, maybe it was none of his concern. Maybe Baekhyun indeed appeared shady to Kris and Jondae. Well, Baekhyun behaved in such an antagonist manner whenever Jongdae was around, was it truly Jongdae's fault to suspect something?

 

Chanyeol's only mandate was to take care of the android for the time being. Maybe he  _ did _ know next to nothing about Baekhyun. However, the idea that Baekhyun was a spy, or posed a threat to him was preposterous. Baekhyun was anything but.

 

All Baekhyun ever wanted to do was tag beside him and roam around Lawless, exclaiming at the slightest things that evinced his interest. All Baekhyun wanted was a little taste of freedom. Chanyeol wouldn't deny him that. This Elyxion built android wanted to act out of his own free will. For Chanyeol, it was like his own tiny, personal victory over Elyxion, that he was sheltering an android that had escaped its hawk like clutches. 

 

He heard footsteps. 

 

Apparently, the android had decided to saunter back inside the bedroom, dragging the pillow along. That craftily designed nose was still in the air though. 

 

“I know.” Chanyeol grinned despite himself. “The couch is pretty uncomfortable. Floor is cold too. Don’t you think it has become a lot cooler lately?” 

 

Baekhyun placed a knee on the bed and looked at him. He scrunched his nose in what Chanyeol took as displeasure. “You snore in your sleep.”

 

“I-I don’t snore!”

 

It was the android's turn to grin now. “Yes, Baekhyun heard you snoring. It woke Baekhyun up.”

 

“Clearly Baekhyun is lying.” 

 

Baekhyun shrugged and laid down on the bed. The gunsmith joined him soon after turning the light off. The unreal blue eyes shone in the dark like two stars floating within proximity. Chanyeol had never asked but surmised that the android could see perfectly in the dark. 

 

“It’s unfair.” Chanyeol grunted after minutes of staring right back at the midnight blues. 

 

“Hm?”

 

“You can see me clearly right now, can’t you? That’s unfair. I can’t.” 

 

He heard Baekhyun shuffle. The android reached his hand out and wrapped his slender fingers around Chanyeol’s index finger. 

 

The gunsmith dared not make a sound, or breathe. Baekhyun rarely if ever initiated physical contact, he grabbed on to Chanyeol’s clothes if need arose. This..this felt oddly more intimate that all the times he had rubbed against someone else, this innocent act of someone enclosing the warmth of their hand over his finger. 

 

Slowly, very slowly, Chanyeol rubbed the pad of his thumb over the android’s wrist. With darkness and silence around them, he felt the dizzy throb of a pulse in Baekhyun’s wrist. But he knew, somewhere inside the android’s skull, they lay a chip. 

 

Chanyeol sighed. Baekhyun hummed and all was dark. 

 

The gunsmith’s internal body clock always roused him awake right at dawn. So it had been for many years now. Dawn and dusk had the warmest hues, and Baekhyun looked ethereal during both. 

 

Even in deep sleep, Baekhyun had not let Chanyeol’s finger go. The fingers were firmly holding on to his own. Gazing at Baekhyun's hand, Chanyeol was suddenly reminded of Kris’ words -  _ does the android bleed. _ The pinkened tips of Baekhyun’s fingers looked like they would bleed a rosy hue if pricked by the smallest of needles. 

 

So pretty. So pure. Chanyeol’s eyes lingered on the dainty bow that was the android’s mouth. 

 

_ Chanyeol kiss other girls?  _ Baekhyun had asked last night, indignant. If Baekhyun could only know what ideas were swirling in his mind now..

 

That’s it! Jongdae was right. He had officially lost it. 

 

Yixing had better come soon.

 

Or maybe, not come at all? What if Yixing died in the meantime? Chanyeol checked himself, that was too cruel a thought. What if Yixing got into an accident and lost all memory - again, Chanyeol checked himself - lost all memory  _ of Baekhyun!  _ Wouldn’t that mean that he could keep Baekhyun by his side forever? 

 

And again that thought.. what if Baekhyun were a human, what if he was capable of feeling.

 

What made someone human anyway - skin, bones and a beating heart or the ability to act out of free will? Were the clockwork people of Elyxion more human than Baekhyun, android who decided to change the fate that lay ahead of him. 

 

Why had no one in Lawless ever made him feel this way, the way Baekhyun made him feel? Was it him, was there a fundamental flaw in Chanyeol himself? Why didn’t he feel this elated about any of the lovely ladies in Kris’ tavern? 

 

Sex he had plenty. This wasn’t about sex, or a kiss either. 

 

This was about how human Chanyeol felt when he was with Baekhyun. The android had managed to bring out the best in him, and along with it, the vulnerabilities he thought he had long buried. 

 

If only Yixing really lost his memories of Baekhyun, that would be so nice. 

 

Chanyeol tried to pull his numb index finger out of Baekhyun’s grasp. It woke the android up. 

 

They stared at each other. Chanyeol was hot and cold and flustered for some reason. “Let go.” he softly breathed. “Otherwise, you will be pacing impatiently in the kitchen half an hour later.”

 

“Chanyeol.” Baekhyun simply said, not letting the finger go. 

 

The gunsmith tried giving it a tug.

 

“Baekhyun will go watch the stars today.” 

 

Chanyeol flicked the android's forehead with his free hand. “Not out of bed and already making plans. Yixing had better pay me handsomely when he returns for you.”

 

Chanyeol had said it in a thoughtless way, as some form of joke. The android let go of his finger immediately. 

 

“I’ll miss Lawless.” the android said quietly.

 

_ I’ll miss you -  _ Chanyeol knew Baekhyun meant this. He knew the android well enough by now. 

 

They went to see the stars that evening. They gave away scraps to homeless young boys the next. And just like that, numerous evenings were spent doing the odd things together. 

 

Although Jongdae did not drop by in the days that ensued, he was not idle at all. He had set off on an undercover journey across the border, and was not to be seen or found for a dozen days. 

 

On the thirteenth day, Jongdae stumbled upon some good fortune. What he learnt curdled his blood. 

 

Chanyeol had managed to procure fresh cabbage from somewhere; he knew Baekhyun would like cabbage stew. The gunsmith was busy chopping the vegetable when Jongdae let himself in, an ashen look on his face, tone urgent.

 

“ _ I told you there’s something wrong about him, didn’t I?”  _ Jongdae lost no time in pointing an accusing finger towards the android. He was clutching a piece of white paper in his hand. 

 

Baekhyun, who had been merrily watching Chanyeol cook dinner for him bare minutes ago, scrambled to stand up under Jongdae’s glare. 

 

Jongdae had brought reinforcements along. Kris and Junmyeon, both flanked him, weapons in hand. 

 

“What the  _ fuck  _ are you going on about?” Chanyeol grabbed the knife from the countertop. 

 

Baekhyun did not move a muscle.

 

Jongdae was panting, all three of them were. Apparently they had rushed to Chanyeol’s, with the piece of paper as some vindication against Baekhyun. Chanyeol could see that. 

 

“I went to Elyxion! You won’t  _ believe  _ what I found out.” Jongdae declared, eyes on the android.

 

Chanyeol's eyes followed Jongdae’s. 

 

Baekhyun had turned to stone, face absolutely white. 

 

“What did you find out?” Chanyeol asked slowly. He was intrigued. More than anything, he wanted to pat the android, reassure him in some way. Nothing Jongdae could say would ever make him - 

 

“Ask your android what his full name is.” Jongdae spat bitterly. 

 

Chanyeol frowned. Baekhyun would not meet his eyes. There was pin drop silence, maybe a distant rumble of thunder. Maybe there was a storm coming. 

 

The gunsmith started to walk towards Baekhyun but Jongdae grabbed his arm. “Just ask him his full name. Let us see if he would lie to you brazenly. Hmph. Let’s see if he’s even worthy of all the trust you had put on him all along.”

 

Chanyeol’s ears were pounding with a strange drumming. Baekhyun would still not meet anyone’s eyes. 

 

“Tell us your full name.” 

 

The android stood still, resolutely silent. 

 

The pounding became a roar. “Baekhyun?”

 

“Hmph.” Jongdae said, with as much contempt as malice, “Very well then. If he can’t say it, I will. Funnily, I did not even have to exert myself. These posters are everywhere in Elyxion. See for yourself! ” He thrust the crumpled piece of paper in Chanyeol’s large hand and plucked the knife away.

 

Chanyeol slowly, carefully unfolded the parchment. 

 

It was a notice for a missing person. Chanyeol recognised the unsmiling face pasted on the paper as Baekhyun’s. There was a huge reward for anyone who could divulge details about Baekhyun’s whereabouts. 

 

“Look at his  _ name.”  _ Jongdae prompted impatiently. 

 

Chanyeol read the name out loud -  _ Byun Baekhyun,  _ then stilled. He looked at the android in disbelief. 

 

Baekhyun stood perfectly still, mirroring Chanyeol’s hurt expression. 

 

“ _ Byun Baekhyun!”  _ Chanyeol repeated, “ _ Byun  _ Baekhyun!”

 

He had never in his wretched life felt so betrayed. “Tell me.” his voice was sharp like a whip, “How are you related to the Byun Corporation?”

 

The Corporation! Byun Corporation! Chanyeol had spent all his life cursing the entity that all but owned Elyxion. “ _ Who  _ are you?”

 

“Baekhyun,” he pleaded when the android remained doggedly mum. “ _ Please.  _ Tell me this is not true. Tell me this is some freak coincidence.”

 

Baekhyun hung his head.

 

“Oh but he can’t.” Jongdae spoke from the sidelines, in a quiet manner now. “You see, he is the heir to the Byun Corporation. The only son of Corporation CEO.”

 

Chanyeol strode towards Baekhyun and grabbed him by his shoulders. “ _ Speak up.”  _ He implored. “Is this true?” He felt horribly played. Devastated. 

 

The single tear that ran down Baekhyun’s cheek confirmed Jongdae’s story. 

 

Chanyeol shook his head, “ _ Speak up!  _ I want to hear it from your own mouth.”

 

After what seemed like an eternity, Baekhyun bit his lip and nodded, then looked up at Chanyeol imploringly. 

 

The gunsmith backed away. He wanted to scream, but took deep breaths instead. Chanyeol sounded absolutely calm when he spoke next. “If you are the son of the man who owns Byun Corp, if you are the sole heir, you’ve put all of us in danger. Now I don’t know why Yixing would hide you here, of all places, and what plans you two are hatching, but I guess that’s none of my business. I don’t need to know. You don’t owe me that.” His voice cracked. 

 

Nobody spoke. Baekhyun's face crumpled, he seemed to be begging with his eyes. 

 

Chanyeol steeled himself, “Yixing tricked me into sheltering the son of the Corporation that I would gladly see burn. But I do not deal in humans. Yixing lied to me.  _ You  _ lied to me. You were lying to me this whole time. No, save it. I don’t need any explanation, or apology. You don’t owe me that. You owe me nothing. I only took care of you because the pay was so good. Now ..now though.. I’ll have to ask you to step out of my house. ”

 

“Baekhyun will not leave Chanyeol.” came the plead.

 

“I don’t deal in humans. Yixing knows this. Kris,” he turned to the tavern owner. “You’ll keep Baekhyun safe until Yixing comes for him, yeah? I’ll hand over the pay I received, of course.” He would not look at Baekhyun.

 

“Please..”  Baekhyun begged in the smallest of voices. “Baekhyun does not want to leave.” 

 

Chanyeol turned his cold, hard stare at the Elyxian, “Don’t make me throw you out.” He saw the boy freeze. “Kris, take him away.”

 

Kris did not make any move to drag Baekhyun away. He appeared concerned, “Are you sure you want me to take him away?”

 

“My home is no place for Elyxians.” Chanyeol stated with finality, eyes averted from all of them. 

 

Kris sighed. “Come, Baekhyun.” He beckoned. 

 

“Baekhyun will stay. Baekhyun won’t go anywhere.”

 

Chanyeol wished he could plug his ears.

 

The tavern owner pocketed his gun and lightly took hold of Baekhyun’s sleeve. “You heard him. He asked you to leave.”

 

“If Chanyeol wants Baekhyun to leave, he should throw Baekhyun out himself.” the Elyxian declared, stubbornness laced in the tone. 

 

Chanyeol was so close to the tipping point. He had never felt so conflicted in his life. “Leave, Baekhyun.” He managed to coax, “haven’t you done enough damage already? What more do you want? Elyxion forces to burn us down for keeping you hidden?” 

 

When Kris tugged at Baekhyun’s sleeve again, the Elyxian followed wordlessly, all fight gone. 

 

Chanyeol would not look up, he simply wouldn’t. He heard them walk out of his house, heard Baekhyun walk out of his life. Everything hurt, his old wounds, his bones, his heart, everywhere hurt. 

 

“That was intense.” Jongdae breathed. Apparently he had lingered behind even though the others had left with Baekhyun in tow. 

 

“You should leave too.” Chanyeol’s tone was bitter. 

 

“Hey man, I’m not here to gloat. If anything, I’m sorry. You look pretty shaken.”

 

“It’s nothing. I’ll get over it.” Chanyeol scoffed, “If you think I’ll mope around over an Elyxian, you’re so wrong. I’m the one who is sorry. I should have listened to you, to Kris. That thing, he poses great risk to all of us. Who knows what manner of spying he has been doing in Lawless all this while.”

 

“No. He’s not a spy. I ascertained that as soon as I learnt that he is a Byun. Apparently Elyxion is running tests on humans, injecting chips in them, trying to turn them into perfectly controlled superhuman machines of some sort.”

 

Chanyeol couldn’t care less. 

 

“They’ve been trying since forever, and failing. Can you believe that Baekhyun’s father turned him him into some lab rat when they found out that Baekhyun could be the perfect host for the chip? Can anything be worse than that?”

 

“Fuck this fucked up shit.” Chanyeol cursed under his breath. 

 

The cabbage remained untouched on the side of the stove long after Jongdae left. Chanyeol had no appetite. 

 

Chanyeol couldn’t sleep either. 

 

Jongdae’s words reverberated in his ears.  _ Lab rat. Lab rat. Lab rat.  _

 

Baekhyun _.  _ The boy with a chip in his head. A semi kinda human android. 

 

Had Baekhyun lied though? Wasn’t he more android than a human. Poor thing had been locked inside white rooms all throughout, operated upon, experimented upon. 

 

Chanyeol buried his face inside the pillow to stifle his cries of anguish. 

 

His heart ached. His heart bled for all the pain Baekhyun must have endured all along. 

 

_ Lab rat. Lab rat. Lab rat. _

 

Within minutes, Chanyeol was dressed and out of the door. He drove his vehicle to Kris’ establishment at breakneck speed. It was pure agony, the stretches of narrow, winding roads from his house to Kris’. 

 

It seemed Kris had been expecting him. “No need to be hostile. We haven’t touched a hair out of your android. The girls may have cooed over him and given his permanent trauma, but aside from that, he’s unharmed.” 

 

“Where’s he?” Chanyeol demanded.

 

Kris rolled his eyes, “Inside my cabin. I asked him to lie down for a bit but I don’t think he has.” He peered at Chanyeol’s face. “You’re here to take him back, aren’t you?”

 

Chanyeol nodded. The tavern owner appeared relieved. “Housing the boy is courting the worst kind of danger. I don’t envy you at all.”

 

Chanyeol nodded again. “Thanks for everything.”

 

“For you? Always.” 

 

Kris’ cabin had a small, foldable bed squeezed in. The tavern owner had no other house. His establishment doubled up as his lodging place.

 

It was a dimly lit room and Baekhyun’s eyes had no light in them. They were downcast. He did not look up when 

 

Chanyeol stepped inside silently. His heart clenched when he saw the boy hunched over the bed with his arms hugging his knees. He took another step, “Baekhyun.”

 

The Elyxian immediately looked up, eyes and mouth going wide. 

 

Chanyeol’s breath hitched at the tear stained face and red nose. 

 

“Huh?” the boy with the blue eyes made an involuntary sound, and began to tremble. “Chanyeol?”

 

The gunsmith approached the boy and extended one hand, “Coming home?”

 

Baekhyun let out an involuntary sob. 

 

“You thought I wouldn’t come to get you?” Chanyeol attempted to smile, failing horribly at it.

 

“Baekhyun thought..”

 

“Hey,” Chanyeol enveloped the boy in his arms, “Let’s get you home first. We can talk later.”

 

Baekhyun silently followed him out of Kris’ establishment. They didn’t talk on the way home. The colours of the approaching dawn appeared magically on the horizon. 

 

The gunsmith made two cups of strong tea for them once home, and sandwiches. Baekhyun ate tentatively, throwing nervous glances at Chanyeol. It seemed more like a bid of ascertaining whether Chanyeol was really beside him. 

 

“Eat. You must be hungry. And tired. You can sleep if you want. But later, you know I need answers. A hundred different questions are buzzing through my head. Who are you, what are you, what are you doing here, why did you run away from home..what does this  _ mean?  _ I need answers, Baekhyun. I don’t need apologetic looks.”

 

Baekhyun nibbled his food, nodding. 

 

But it wasn’t until they had lain side by side that the Elyxian finally decided to speak up. It was morning outside their windows. 

 

Baekhyun lay on his tummy, and faced the gunsmith. “Baekhyun met Yixing in the lab. Nobody ever talked to Baekhyun but he did. He told me tiny tales, and brought me candies.”

 

Chanyeol cupped the boy’s cheek, the one that was not buried inside the pillow, “What about your parents?”

 

Those blue eyes looked confused, “Parents? Nobody came to talk to Baekhyun. Nobody was allowed to. Baekhyun was brought to the lab when Baekhyun was very small. Yixing said small Baekhyun was rare. Small Baekhyun had the ability to adapt and integrate with the OS they were testing.”

 

“They tested on a child!” Chanyeol was full of disbelief.

 

“Still do.” Baekhyun offered in the tiniest of voices, “Yixing said Baekhyun was the rarest of rare. Only Baekhyun had the ability to merge with the OS. Others..Yixing said they failed.”

 

“Fuck.”

 

Baekhyun was beginning to tear up, “Yixing said the others were put to sleep, because they failed the Corporation. They failed Baekhyun's f-father. Yixing said Baekhyun can stop all this. Baekhyun can help stop small people being brought to the white rooms.”

 

The boy edged closer to Chanyeol for comfort, and reassurance. His lovely little brows were knit in a frown, “Yixing asked Baekhyun to leave the lab. He said there were so many things for Baekhyun to see and feel. If Baekhyun escaped, Yixing said he will destroy all the data on the experiments to prevent the Corporation from putting more small people to sleep.” 

 

“And you agreed?” 

 

“Baekhyun trusts Yixing. Yixing said he’ll take Baekhyun to a different city, where Baekhyun can be f-free. He said -” the boy choked, “He said he knows a man who will take care of Baekhyun. He said the man is a good one, a little harsh, but good. Baekhyun will be safe with man, Yixing said.”

 

Chanyeol placed his forehead against the boy. 

 

“Yixing said Baekhyun must  _ never _ return to Elyxion. He asked Baekhyun to lie to man. He said man will hate me if he knows that Baekhyun is ..is who he is. Baekhyun did not want man to hate him. Baekhyun had heard so much about man. Yixing said man was the most handsome in Lawless, said man is skilled with guns. Man has a soft heart, Yixing said. Man will save Baekhyun, he said.” And then, Baekhyun started sobbing.

 

“Oh, baby!” Chanyeol brought the boy closer and peppered his moist cheeks with kisses. “You know how I feel about you, don’t you? Huh? You know, right?”

 

“Baekhyun doesn't know anything. That’s all Yixing said. Baekhyun doesn’t know anything else. Baekhyun didn’t lie about being an android. Baekhyun is n-not human.”

 

Chanyeol cradled the boy in his arms. “Who said you aren't? Yixing? He lied to you. Androids don’t cry. They can’t feel, can they? And you ..You feel, right? You do, don’t you?”

 

“I-I feel.” Baekhyun admitted tentatively. “Baekhyun feels good around you. Safe.”

 

Chanyeol angled Baekhyun’s face so he could look into the deep blue eyes, “Do you know how I feel?” 

 

The boy blinked. 

 

“ _ How can you not know how I feel!”  _ Chanyeol cried out. He found Baekhyun’s hand and placed it over his chest. 

 

“It’s beating.” Baekhyun said softly, looking shy. 

 

“It’s beating  _ for you.  _ Now do you know how I feel about you?”

 

Baekhyun shook his head, “Baekhyun only knows that if Chanyeol sent m-me away, I-I’d die. Baekhyun  _ loves _ Chanyeol.”

 

It was so unfair, that Baekhyun could say this outright when he himself had been struggling to find the words. He placed his finger under the boy’s chin, “You know I love you back, don’t you? I’m never letting you go.”

 

Baekhyun was in the process of nodding when he yawned. 

 

Chanyeol chuckled. “Sleepy, right? Hey, I have an idea. Why don’t we just rest now? Push everything for later. Sleep sounds good, doesn’t it?”

 

So they slept, Baekhyun buried in the comfort of Chanyeol’s chest. 

 

They slept until dusk. Chanyeol took the Elyxian for a walk and kissed him under the stars, seated on the back of an abandoned truck, with no sign of life around them. 

 

Baekhyun was shy and slow but seemed to like being kissed. He came back for more and more, again and again. 

 

A few days later, under the same spot, Chanyeol asked him a question. “How do you feel about running away to the mountains with me? It’s far, the Corporation wouldn’t think to look for you there.”

 

“B-but you have a house here.”

 

Chanyeol rubbed the boy’s lips with his coarse thumb, “I can build a house for us anywhere. The sooner we leave, the better. You mind leaving the innumerable charms of Lawless behind?”

 

Baekhyun’s words brushed against Chanyeol’s thumb. “Anywhere with you is home for Baekhyun. You-you have work here, though.” 

 

Chanyeol laughed, and rubbed Baekhyun’s back, “Fret not! I won’t let you go hungry. Your man is someone who knows a trade. A man with skills will never go hungry.”

 

Much later, when they were back home, Chanyeol voiced his request. “I want you to do something for me when we get to the mountains.”

 

“What?”

 

“Will you teach the children there? We have no schools. If we can teach the next generation how to read and write, maybe there’s hope yet.”

 

Baekhyun beamed. “Alright.”

 

There’s always hope, Chanyeol thought, looking at the lovely face upturned towards him. 

  
  


_ Some months later.. _

 

Chanyeol had chosen the perfect spot to build their cabin. It was atop a hill, and they had to walk a little bit to the stream that ran downhill to collect water for storage in the large earthen pots. 

 

Baekhyun did not mind the physical labour; he had a lot of stamina. Chanyeol found that out for himself during the trek to the mountains. The boy never tired from all the climbing, or from the other activities they got up to in the cover of the night, when they’d reach for each other hungrily.

 

Chanyeol had evened the land around the cabin and tilled it. Fresh vegetables will grow during spring, the gunsmith told the boy. It was not an easy life, but they always found comfort in each other. 

 

Jongdae and Junmyeon promised to visit during spring, with new work for Chanyeol. Apparently, everyone missed Chanyeol's specific skill sets. “I’ll only take on exclusive jobs, the lucrative ones.” Chanyeol reminded Jongdae. 

 

Because he was far too busy, building a novel life for both of them. 

 

Baekhyun liked the wild flowers that grew in the hills, and the countless birds that came flocking whenever they had scraps to spare. He made friends with the children that sometimes came to say hello to them. 

 

Chanyeol had built the cabin on the outskirts of a tiny hillside village. “Teach the children.” The gunsmith reminded his lover. 

 

The gunsmith cooked, washed and worked double time to make the cabin habitable. He made several short trips to the nearest town. Baekhyun taught the children by day.

 

At night, they made love.

 

It was not an easy life, but near perfect. 

 

Yixing came and knocked on their door while they were in the midst of lovemaking one evening.

 

Chanyeol’s back was hurting and Baekhyun proposed a back rub. One thing led to another and the gunsmith soon found himself panting, moving inside his lover. 

 

Yixing could not have chosen a worse time to appear. 

 

Baekhyun moved away, alarmed, at the unexpected knock on the door. He turned his eyes towards the door, and laughed. He nearly fell, fumbling over his clothes in his haste to greet their guest. 

 

“It’s Yixing.” Baekhyun explained delightedly, even as Chanyeol growled, lying naked on the floor with a very noticeable hard on. 

 

The boy was terribly excited. He ran to open the door, shirtless, and Chanyeol was left to deal with the matter at hand by himself. 

 

The gunsmith walked in on the two hugging each other five minutes later. Yixing had brought plenty of gifts for Baekhyun, it seemed. Chanyeol pulled Baekhyun away from the Elyxian and kissed the boy’s hair. “Who told you where to find me?”

 

“Jongdae did.”

 

“And you journey so far ..why?” Chanyeol snorted. “I hope you haven’t come to take him away, because I will  _ not  _ let him go.”

 

Yixing clicked his tongue, “You think I made this forsaken trip to bring him back? Heavens, no. I just had to see for myself that Baekhyun was fine.”

 

“Took you long enough.” Chanyeol threw.

 

“I couldn’t leave Elyxion any earlier. That stunt Baekhyun and I pulled, destroying all the data, I had to lie low for a very long while to evade suspicion. I hope you aren’t angry that I lied to you. It was necessary at that time. You wouldn’t have taken him in, otherwise. I know you have a good heart among all the people in Lawless. I was kinda praying that you would warm up to Baekhyun. That, and I figured I owed you the rest of your payment.”

 

“I don’t need your money, Yixing.” Chanyeol said, but he was looking at Baekhyun, “I already have everything I need right here.”

 

“I -” Yixing scratched his cheek, “was not offering money. There’s a chip inside Baekhyun’s head. It’s unsafe. The Corporation has tried to track Baekhyun down relentlessly with the help of this chip. I have managed to jam the process so far but let’s be real. I am old. I won’t be around forever. We need to take that chip out of him.”

 

Chanyeol held on to Baekhyun protectively. “You can do that?”

 

“It’s a simple enough procedure. Painless. I’ll throw the chip in one of Elyxion’s artificial lakes. Not to worry.  I’ll make them believe Baekhyun somehow self destructed there. And you two can go on with your lives in peace, undisturbed. What say, Baekhyun?”

 

Chanyeol kissed the boy’s forehead, “Baekhyun?” Baekhyun looked up at him, bare chested, bare eyed, with only love in his inhuman blue eyes, “Do you want to do this?” the gunsmith asked in a whisper. 

 

Baekhyun’s eyes were twinkling. “Yes,” he said, not looking away from his lover, very much clinging on with his body and soul, “Yes. I’d like to be human. I’d like that very much.”

  
                                 ~~~~

  
  
  
  
  



End file.
